Tuesday, June 10, 2014

I Must Decrease

"And I said: 'WOE is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!
(Isaiah 6:5, ESV)

"My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things:
That I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior
(John Newton)


I had a strong desire (for a while now)  to begin creating this new blog. Maybe it was because I became a pastor. Perhaps it was because writing down the spiritual lessons in my life would somehow be christocentrically therapeutic. Whatever the reason, I've wanted to start blogging here for quite some time now. However, until now, I seemed to encounter the same road block to starting this blog over and over again....namely, "What do I write my first blog on?"... "What will be recorded as my first contribution... my first thoughts... my first steps in this sure-to-be-wild theological venture?"

Surely, what I write first greatly reveals a lot about the kind of person I am... and therefore, those first words I type are so important. Whether I'm over-thinking this or not (I tend to do that from time to time), I felt that I didn't have an opening message to write, that truly (and honestly) reflected who I am... until now.

I love the book of Isaiah. I find it quite inspirational in so many ways. Chapter 6 is often well known, and even more often quoted in theological circles. Dr. R.C. Sproul (one of my heroes) points out that this passage is the only one in scripture where something is repeated 3 TIMES (the most emphatic literary tactic in all of Hebrew literature)... and WHAT is being emphasized in this repetition? The HOLINESS of God. 

As noticeable as God's holiness is in this passage (clearly) my mind always seems to shift back to Isaiah's response. Maybe it's because I can identify with him (I don't know). The truth is... we are sinful people... and if there's one attribute I want people to understand about me first, it is that I am a sinner, badly in need of God's grace. That same gracious God also desires to have a relationship with His people. Relationships start with encounters. There's just one problem (and mark it well)... Whenever you have an encounter with the Holy God, you are forced to come face-to-face with your UNholiness. It's the same reason that you can't see how dirty you really are until you step into the light. In fact, when Isaiah came face to face with the splendor and holiness of God, he couldn't even speak.... and when he finally could speak the only thing he could utter from his stammering lips is "Woe is ME!"

God has a way of showing me (and hopefully, us) what a great and Holy God he is. That always drives me to my knees. Moses sang a worship song after he crossed the Red Sea. Noah built an altar in worship as soon as he stepped off the boat. David unashamedly danced in the streets. Joseph wept when he was reunited with his brothers. My own tendency, when I continually encounter the faithfulness of a Holy God in my life, is the same as the hymn writer: "...and from my SMITTEN heart, with tears, two wonders I confess: The wonders of redeeming LOVE AND my UNWORTHINESS". It is in that 'redeeming love' that I reflect on my own unworthiness, to the point where it blows my mind that God even thinks of me at ALL (Ps. 8:4)... let alone LOVES me (Is. 43:4)... loves even to the point where he SINGS over me with delight (Zeph. 3:17)

That is a value which I know full well I cannot place on myself. John Newton knew it too. You didn't need to tell the former slave trader that he was a sinner. The guilt of his own sinfulness is clearly reflected in his preaching. However, it wasn't one thing he knew... it was two. He was a great sinner AND Christ is a great savior. Christ's being a great savior is the ONLY hope that sinful man has. That's the ONLY way our victories can be victories at all (Gal. 6:14). 

In all honest introspection, I know full well that I will never understand how great a Savior Christ is until I first understand how great a sinner I am. Therefore, in closing, if you are to know anything about me, know this... Any positive work I do, any influence I have, any hearts touched by the words on this page (written with trembling hands), anything good that anyone ever says about me... It's NOT ME... The REAL me is a sinner "justly deserving God's displeasure". If I am anything good at ALL, it is because Christ, my Savior, died for me and now lives within me, guiding me every step of the way... and I'm okay with that... because, in the end, HE will get all the glory... and isn't that where it belongs anyway? As a writer, and as a Christian, I may not know much... but two things I do know: "I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior".

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