After I saw this YouTube video today, I was thinking about my own experience of how seeing my sin more clearly has made me see the gospel in a completely different light. Dr. Piper says it so well:
I would say that I’ve been a Christian since about age 6, when I “asked Jesus to come into my heart.” Since then, I would have said I had a pretty good understanding of Jesus’ work on the cross, dying to pay for our sin. And for the most part, I was a fairly good kid: keeping my nose out of trouble, and generally doing what was expected of me. However, when I would hear songs like “The Wonderful Cross” and “Jesus Paid It All” and I would think, “Good grief…I haven’t done anything all THAT bad…” and part of me would just feel really uncomfortable.
A situation about two and a half years ago changed that. A set of circumstances made me see clearly, I think probably for the first time, how ugly my sin is to God. Without really realizing it, I had come to really, really like how people responded to me when I did the right/good/noble/expected things and ended up valuing that over God’s opinion. And in turn, I figured that God would probably be fairly impressed by that, too. Over and over the Bible talks about how God isn’t impressed by the things that people are, but that God sees past it and looks at the heart. I realized how awful my seemingly good works looked to God: things that I did to look good to people that were often motivated by jealousy, pride, or selfishness. Suddenly, I realized I wasn’t looking so hot in God’s eyes. Here’s this girl trying to be all religious when inside her heart is just ugly. In the Bible, Jesus uses religious people quite frequently to show how their hearts were in the wrong place and how they really liked the respect that their position got them. And that was me!
All of a sudden, I realized that need for that blood. I was really dirty. I am still so amazed that God hasn’t just zapped me out of existence…considering all of the junk that has been (and is) in my heart and mind. But, he loved me enough to not only not zap me out of existence, but to pay for all of the ugly things that I have (and still will) done.
There’s a children’s Bible that I love (The Jesus Storybook Bible) that puts it so simply: “All Naaman needed was nothing. It was the one thing Naaman didn’t have.” I was trying to please God and please people by doing, by having it all together. But all we need is the understanding that we don’t and can’t have it all together…that all our attempts at being good and perfect will fail. That’s why we need Jesus’ blood from the cross, the perfect sacrifice to pay for our sins.
March 7, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Amen, sister. I appreciate you sharing this and being so open. Love you
March 8, 2010 at 1:11 am
What a great writing – made me think very deeply. All I need is nothing, and it is the one thing i do not have.
March 8, 2010 at 1:28 am
This is crazy that I found this today. This is the story of my life. To like the very last detail I think. I was reflecting on God's justification by grace through faith. There's a Shane and Shane song talking about how dirty we are and God trying to convince us now that we are now clean. I can't understand the word free. Not one bit. Why should I freely receive this? I am in awe. That's all I can say. Thank you for sharing, sister. I know now apart from God I can do nothing.
March 8, 2010 at 1:58 am
Refreshing. Thank you!
March 8, 2010 at 2:48 am
Luke 7:36-50.
As long as you think you’ve got it all together, you’re never going to appreciate what Jesus did for you. When you know your debt to God was huge, the fact that it’s entirely cancelled actually means something. Those who are forgiven much, love much.
March 8, 2010 at 4:59 am
Wow, thanks a lot for writing this. I so identify with what you've written and it's just what I needed to hear today.
March 8, 2010 at 10:21 am
thanks for once again reminding me that left on our own, we will never accept Jesus Christ and never believe on His saving work. This is a beautiful reminder that the Gospel would never be bright and sweet to us when we still think that we are good and we can actually make our way up to heaven. God bless and thanks!
March 8, 2010 at 11:32 am
Thanks for posting that Nancy. I need to hear that over and over again. Thank you Jesus for what you have done which has NOTHING to do with what we've done.
March 8, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Beautifully written. So true in my life as well. I prayed the "sinners prayer" at 6, and tried to live a holy life-in and out of churches for 30 years–believing I was saved. Then about 3 years ago, God regenerated my heart and opened my ears and eyes to the Gospel, and showed me how desperately in need of a Savior I was, and how filthy my sins really were. Until you see God as perfectly holy and just; you don't see your sin as the huge problem it is. Thank you for sharing your testimony. In Christ, Jen
March 8, 2010 at 4:31 pm
This is a very good post. I can really relate to doing good works for other people’s eyes. I also love the way the Jesus Storybook Bible puts it, “All Naaman needed was nothing.” I used the Storybook Bible when I was teaching the story of Naaman to my Sunday School class a few months ago and loved the way the simple words intended for children’s ears helped my heart.
March 9, 2010 at 12:04 am
I enjoyed this post as well, Nancy. How have you and Matt practically taught your kids this so far?
March 9, 2010 at 2:48 am
Thanks for the encouraging comments, everyone! I've been praising God that He has been using this.
Janelle/Jen (not sure which name is actually yours!): that's amazing that our timelines line up so closely!
Good question, Dan! At this point, I think we have been focusing mostly on the "deity" part of "practical theology for children"…who is Jesus: fully man/fully God, was killed for our sins and came back to life, conquered death, in heaven now with God. One concept that we haven't hit hard (thanks for getting me thinking about this, Dan!) is "God sees our hearts"…I definitely think she is developmentally ready for that (3-1/2 years old). Matt, do you want to weigh in on this?
Dan, you guys are a year further down the road…I'd love to hear your thoughts.