Sunday, September 12, 2010

No confidence in the flesh

I often like to look at myself with two different lenses.  One is looking at my flesh: my abilities, my talents, my security in myself, my personality.  The list goes on and on.  When I remember how I used to feel when I walked into a room, or was faced with an uncertain situation.  How I would rather blend into the wallpaper than be noticed.

Then, I like to look at myself through God's lens.  Christ. Although I am on a journey where more of me disappears, a curious thing happens: more of who I was created to be shines through.  And even as Christ abounds more out of me, more of me abounds too. Very curious. Oh, and something else happens that defies human logic: you become more confident in what God can do through you!  You start to think you can do anything- that NOTHING can stand in your way.  Not because you yourself are so amazing, but because you start believing that Jesus is amazing.  And what He can (and will) do through you!  
With man everything is impossible, but with God all things are possible !!!!!!!

Paul was very aware of this marvelous occurrence and wrote about it in Philippians, Chapter 3:
"2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,4although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.7But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.8More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ"

Paul was pretty incredible, highly educated, respected, excellent at keeping the Law.  A very impressive resume of accomplishments, but it pales pathetically in comparison to Christ.  As do mine.


In worship today, a line in a song hit me so hard: "I am undone."  That is how I feel when I put no confidence in my flesh.  I am undone, and yet so much more that I have ever been on my own.  All I have ever been without Jesus is rubbish.  But all I can be with Him...there is no limit.  How thankful I am that this isn't about me!!!  What a retched state that would be!  But it is not about me.  Everything is Jesus.  And I am beautifully undone.