“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from Me, you evildoers!’”

–Matthew 7:21-23

What would you do if someone tried to ruin your reputation?  What would you do if someone said you were a terrible person who had done terrible things, spread it to the people you love and respect?  What would you have to say for yourself?  Who are you?  And what have you done?

 

Do you not speak truth in God’s Name?  Do you not battle the evil one?  Have you not nearly wrought miracles by your good works?  Are you not a good person?  Have you not earned a decent reputation?

 

Imagine you set out to build a house.  This house represents who you are.  You draw out the plans using the best of your knowledge.  Your strength is tested well, your stamina on the blistering hot days, but you construct it like an expert craftsman.  You choose all the finest finishings.  When you’ve finished you see that you’ve outshined your neighbors.  And you’re proud of it.

 

But then the storm comes.

 

And it doesn’t matter how beautiful your house is.  It doesn’t matter how big your house is.  It doesn’t matter if you used expensive materials or inexpensive.  All that matters is the foundation.

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great.”

–Luke 6:46-49 (nkjv)

 

Have you built your house on the Rock?  Or have you built your house on the earth without a foundation?

 

Are you good?

 

Or is only God good?

 

Have you accomplished much?

 

Or does Jesus’ sacrifice at the Cross define you?

 

We are sinners saved by grace.  Every reward earned by our sweat and our tears was first purchased by His Blood.  His gifts we do not deserve and that He should give them compels me to marvel at His great mercy.  We ourselves have been bought with a price.  So let us live for His Name, and not our own.

 

What can we prove but that God can use anyone?

 

What are we but redeemed?

 

What are we now but His?

 

So let us embrace His Will.

 

Aside from His grace we are nothing but sinful in our selfishness, our apathy, our hatred, our foolishness, our idolatry, our pride.  Aside from His grace we do nothing but fail, fall short, miss the mark.  Only He is faithful, only He is perfect, only He is truly loving.  Only He is good.  Our time on earth is but a vapor.  But He is eternal.  So may we serve and glorify Him.

 

Speak of His goodness.  Esteem His Name.  Exalt Him.  Shout.  Joy.  Love.

 

You crucified Him.  He hung for you.  Look upon the Cross.  Look and look and never forget this.

 

I crucified Him.

 

But He hung for me.

 

Look at my Savior.

 

Know Him.

 

Praise Him.

Do you see what I was, what I would be without Him?

 

Do you see how I fail day after day, still?

 

And do you see what He did for me?

 

He is good.

 

The sin, the shame, the nails, the spear, the strike of the hammer, the stripes, the scarred brow, the pierced hands and feet belonged to me—I deserved them, I earned them, and I wrought them.

 

He hung for me.

Copyrighted material, used with permission.