Romans 5:7-11 The Message
[Jesus Christ] presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn't been so weak, we wouldn't have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
Now that we are set right...put on friendly terms with God by the sacrificial death of his Son, now that we're at our best, just think of how our lives will expand and deepen by means of his resurrection life! Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah!
I do not recall where I first heard the story of a medieval Christian, a wise and educated man, who ran into financial difficulties towards the end of his life. Things grew worse and worse, and eventually, aged and sick, he was reduced to living on the streets. One cold morning, someone recognized their former teacher and took him to a hospital.
Thinking that the old man was unconscious, one doctor spoke to another, saying "What shall we do with this poor, worthless creature?"
The man raised up and cried out, "Do not call that man worthless for whom Christ died!"
How often we grow tired and discouraged pursuing acceptance and approval from people or things that can never really give us what we need. It might be our job, our position, family, friends, spouses, even total strangers!
I believe every human being needs to matter, to be significant to someone in some way. Many of us--and sometimes it seems to me like it is just about all of us--struggle with fear of rejection.
Relatively few openly admit to how desperately we crave this affirmation and approval. We are too busy making sure no one glimpses our need. How foolish we can be sometimes, denying our need even to ourselves.
God sees. How glad I am glad of that.
I recently read the following:
The "God-shaped vacuum," as Augustine observed, is part of the manufacturing process - "For you have made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee."
The rock group, Extreme, may or may not have had God in mind when they sang, "Hole Hearted" but I can't hear it without thinking of what Augustine said.
Here it is. The lyrics are below the video.
Life's ambition occupies my time
Priorities confuse the mind
Happiness one step behind
This inner peace I've yet to find
Rivers flow into the sea
Yet even the sea is not so full of me
If I'm not blind why can't I see
That a circle can't fit
Where a square should be
There's a hole in my heart
That can only be filled by you
And this hole in my heart
Can't be filled with the things I do
Hole hearted
Hole hearted
This heart of stone is where I hide
These feet of clay kept warm inside
Day by day less satisfied
Not fade away before I die
Rivers flow into the sea
Yet even the sea is not so full of me
If I'm not blind why can't I see
That a circle can't fit
Where a square should be
There's a hole in my heart
That can only be filled by you
And this hole in my heart
Can't be filled with the things I do
There's a hole in my heart
That can only be filled by you
Should've know from the start
I'd fall short with the things I do
Hole hearted
Hole hearted
Hole hearted
Hole hearted
God who sees, I submit my heart, my innermost being, to you. You know--and what is more, you understand--my deep longing to make a difference, to be loved, to be remembered, to be significant. Thank you for those who have come into my life who have given me affirmation, but help me not to forget that the only lasting affirmation comes from you, my creator, redeemer, friend. Amen
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