Unfathomable Grace

I believe in God. Logic demands there must be  a pre-existent cause that brought about all that is. Logic demands there can only be one God, for there can only be one supreme being. 

I believe God must reveal himself if he wishes to be known. 

I believe God has revealed himself through both general and special revelation.  Nature and prophecy (Scripture) teach us that which God intends for us to know about him and his preferences. 

I believe God has a standard which I am responsible to perfectly keep, but which is impossible for me to keep. Some of God’s standard can be found in natural theology, but the clearest presentation of it is located in the Holy Bible.

I believe God has sent his Son to keep the standard for me, and to pay the penalty due my disobedience.

I believe God loves me with an unconditional love. He knows what is best for me. He does what is best for me. I believe this despite what my emotions tell me.

However, despite my obligation to love and obey God, and despite the logical reasons that I have to love and obey my Savior, I do not love him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

I want to love him more than I do.

I want to be more faithful and devoted to him.

I wish that I had no idols. I consistently find that when I take his good gifts and turn them into idols, I am never satisfied. I am always left thirsting and wanting something else to satisfy.

However, despite what I know, and despite what I feel, I am a fickle lover of God at best. Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this duplicitous and sinful nature of mine?

The good news is that The Father loved me foreknowing all my transgressions. The good news is that Son died for me while I was yet a sinner. The good news is that the Spirit fills me and will never leave me nor forsake me. And neither will he leave me be in my duplicitous state. This is the Gospel. 

So I will confess my sins again and offer thanksgiving and supplications to my God. 

Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from my your presence dear Lord, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of my salvation and uphold me with your Spirit. Then I will teach other sinners your ways (through blogging) and they too will come running your way. 

Such is the prayer of a “man after God’s own heart.” Such is a prayer of a man deeply troubled by his sin. Such is the prayer of a double-minded man seeking single-minded affection. This prayer was stolen from David who wrote such in Psalm 51.

(For a fuller understanding of where this blog came from, please visit http://www.Palmettohills.com and listen to the sermon from July 19, 2015.)