"AMAZING GRACE!!!"

Philippians 3:7-11               (KJV)
"7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."


Today's Max Lucado devotional was in my email upon me awaking this morning.  I am sharing it again as it will not leave my thoughts!

"AN 'AMAZING GRACE' WORD FROM MAX LUCADO!

Our Reluctance

Perhaps the most amazing response to God’s gift is our reluctance to accept it. We feel better if we earn it. So we create religious hoops and hop through them—making God a trainer, us his pets, and religion a circus.

If only, when God smiles and says we are saved, we’d salute him, thank him, and live like those who’ve just received a gift from the commander in chief. We seldom do that, though. TO ACCEPT GRACE IS TO ADMIT FAILURE!!  We opt to impress God with how good we are rather than confessing HOW GREAT HE IS. We dizzy ourselves with doctrine.  Burden ourselves with rules. We think that God will smile on our efforts. But He doesn’t. God’s smile is not for the healthy hiker who boasts that he made the journey alone. It is, instead, for the CRIPPLED LEPER WHO BEGS GOD for a back on which to ride!"

The words "we opt to impress GOD with how good we are rather than confessing how GREAT HE is" has impacted me greatly.  My thoughts go to the Apostle Paul saying in his letter to the church at Philippi that all of the "things" he once thought he had to have he now counted as "dung" that he may win CHRIST!  Paul basically said that he willingly gave up all "things" (earthly possessions) to achieve CHRIST's perfect plan for his life!

Max Lucado's line about us trying to impress GOD with our accomplishments for the Kingdom will remain with me for some time.  In all of man's wisdom, how could we improve upon the Grand Canyon or the Redwood Forests?  How can we build a better organ than the human heart that delivers nutrients and oxygen to our entire body?  Just as there are no words to describe GOD's majesty when HE created the heaves and the earth, there is no way to put into words HIS love for us when HE designed a way for us to come before HIS throne!  It truly is an "AMAZING GRACE"!