Waking A Knucklehead

Do you have knucklehead moments? I do. Maybe more than my share.

During a sleepless hour last night it dawned on me that I was working really hard at getting life right, mostly because I was thinking that I wasn’t. You know, I wasn’t praying enough, reading my Bible enough, walking in the Spirit enough, supporting people enough, making enough money—you know, ENOUGH!

And what plagued me was that, after all this time and education, whether scholastic or life education, shouldn’t I be doing better than I am? I mean, I know what to do by now—shouldn’t I simply do it?! Isn’t how you do the ultimate measure? The ultimate estimate?

And this answer popped into my mind: “No, it isn’t. How Jesus did when He lived as a man is the ultimate measure of me.” Think about it.

I forget that the ongoing measurement of my life, the way I am seen, the way I am estimated and the way I am judged by others is not singularly dependent upon me—Jesus became the measurement of me. Everyday and all day I am living with His righteousness, His holiness, and His redemption. All that He accomplished has been given to me as my own. And that’s stunning. Shouldn’t it be?

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God (in other words, this is the great thinking of God for what would be perfect for us)—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’” (Parenthesis mine.)

Well, yeah! Let the bragging on God begin because that’s overwhelming. And shouldn’t it be? Yes! The gospel is crazy-good, and I forget sometimes. . .maybe you do too. But believing that He has given me His righteousness and holiness and redemption invigorates the new me, and propels me into the day—everyday. Now that I’m new, this is how to live new. Believing the truth equals receiving, and something great happens to me.

What bothered me in the night was the accumulated stress of not counting on Jesus’ righteousness and holiness and redemption to do anything for me, other than secure my standing and destination. What a knucklehead! When I remember what He did and gave me, my faith rises and my strength increases. All that ugly judgment I sometimes endure from the evil one and from the flesh vanishes. Hooray! I can live again. And I’m reminded that faith isn’t just a bunch of important stuff that I’ve studied and I believe, but a way by which life and strength and the Holy Spirit work in me, a son of God.

That’s my day and that’s my night. Jesus for me and Jesus in me – my hope of great things. And for this knucklehead, and maybe for you, knucklehead, that’s the way to live.

“. . . God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

(This is a transcript of yesterday’s video, “Waking A Knucklehead,” and is for those who might rather read than watch. To see the video, click http://youtu.be/F4ZZx1JujO4.)