Helpless

"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh..." (Romans 8:3)

 Christmas Day is winding down. The food has been eaten and presents opened. All the church services and church productions leading up to today are memories that are beginning to fade into the past. As I reflect on the activities and the reasons why we have all of this celebration, the word "helpless" comes to mind.

When Christ was born over 2000 years ago, He laid down His right to His throne and along with it, His authority. He humbled Himself (Philippians 2:5-8). He made Himself helpless...a baby. He was dependent on mankind for His daily care. He laid His life in the hands of the people whom He came to save; the people who would eventually crucify Him.

Why did He go through all of this? What was the significance? Why all the hoopla? Because we are helpless and only He could help us. As explained in Romans 8:3 above, the law was given, but it was too weak to save us. It was too weak because it required our ability to follow it flawlessly. We are helpless because we are sinful. The law actually served to show us how helpless we are (Galatians 3:24-25) 

That doesn't sound like good news because we don't like our faults being pointed out and we also don't like to be told we are helpless. However, the sooner we recognize and accept our helplessness, the sooner we can realize the tremendous gift and inheritance that God the Father has waiting for us. All our efforts end in disaster, but God's efforts end in an indescribable, wonderful eternity. (Romans 3:10-12, Isaiah 64:6-7, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 2 Corinthians 8:9, Romans 5:8)

God's offer of salvation has nothing to do with our ability to be good or do good. We will fall short every time. Just one failure (sin) causes us to fall short of God's glory, but the price God paid by sending His perfect Son to die on the cross FOR YOU is sufficient for all time.

 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11, NASB)

I pray that if you have not already done so, you will soon accept this gift that God has held out to you. Come, confess your helplessness to God along with me and allow God to lift you up into His glorious inheritance. Then...let your life be lived for Him out of gratitude rather than appeasement.

For God's Glory,
Chris S. Sweet