Wave a New Banner!

Hello, old friend!  It's been a million years since I have found myself seated, in front of the Blogger dashboard, coffee piping hot right next to me for easy access between types and fingers to keyboard ready to paint word pictures of the musings that go on within my brain.  Awww… it feels good to be back.

I have recognized, in many Christian circles, this well worn phrase: 

We are so undeserving

When I open the pages of the Bible, I find tales of people whom God has used that were the epitome of a “hot mess".  They messed up.  They disobeyed.  They did exactly what God told them not to do.  They didn't listen.  They made up their own rules.  Yet, God used them.  They, hands down, were undeserving.  Their actions did not deserve the beautiful intervention of an ever present God.  He intervened because He loved them.

When I go to the very beginning of the Bible and read the motivation for creating humans, I see a beautiful creative study of God's greatest undertaking.  We see God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit dialoguing. The words of the Trinity in Genesis 1:26 are:  "Let us make mankind in our image." 

Mankind is made in God's image.  We bear the resemblance of our Creator.  We are not products of evolution.  We are not robotic masterpieces fashioned in warehouses.  We are the very children of God.

As a Mother to adult children, I marvel at who they have become.  I look at their confidence, their kindness, their compassion as young women and I am undone.  Even better, I scratch my head and am a little speechless when I think that the way one glances down looks a whole lot like me.  The way one says certain things sounds a whole lot like me.  And the way the other conducts herself sure does look a lot like me.  They resemble me.  They came from me - and a great deal of help from Mr. Elledge!  Their very existence has been a result of Chris and I making them in our image.  There is a whole lot of their Momma and their Dad in each one of them.  And I love it!  I love to see myself in them!

So, since God is our Father, how much more does He delight in us?  Psalm 149:4 says that God takes great delight in His people.  Great delight doesn't sound like a non-doting Father.  Great delight sounds like He is crazy about us!  So if His Word is true and if His Word says that we are not only made in His image but also that He takes great delight in us - why would we dare say we are so undeserving?

Now, I will say that I believe this banner in which we've inscribed "We are so undeserving" is being waved from pure hearts.  If I dig deeper into these well meaning hearts, I find a belief that we are undeserving of the enormous gift of salvation, His lavish grace on us and the gift of heaven.  Yes.

Yes?  

For those of you who are parents let me pose a question.  What do your kids deserve?  Do you expect them to carry humble hearts to the breakfast table all the while eating sheepishly their Captain Crunch afraid to enjoy the bounty of yummy goodness in front of them because they don't deserve such a great breakfast?  After all, they don't have jobs.  They just get to come to the breakfast table in soft pj's and enjoy the food you provide in the house that you provide.  They get to experience the car ride to school in the safety of a car you provide.  They get to burn that Captain Crunch off at recess in a school that your tax dollars provide.  They get to attend soccer practice after school because of a member fee you provide.  

When they lose their temper, they don't complete their homework and pull their sister's hair you still love.  You still give them what they don't deserve. They are yours.  The thought of them groveling to thank you for giving them what they do not deserve never occurs to you (OK, let's be honest.  Sometimes an authentic thank you would be welcome!) 

Why?  Why don't you, parent, expect your child to act like an undeserving servant when they bear your image?  They deserve certain benefits as your child. You want to give to them because they are yours!

So let me pull this all together.  Out of God's great love, He has done great things for me.  When I acknowledge His great gifts, I deserve certain benefits.  I am His.  He takes great delight in me.  That does not give me carte blanche to go crazy - or does it?  

The minute I shot through the birth canal of my dear Mom, I came out bearing God's image.  That was my entry into humankind.  The moment I saw the gap between me and Holy God - sin - and chose the gift of Jesus Christ applied to my sin, I became righteous.  When God sees me, He sees me through the lens of His sacrifice.

Sacrifice is what makes me deserving.  Sacrifice of Jesus on a cross, bearing all my sin, all my shame, all my guilt, all my disease puts me in right standing with a Holy God.  As His child, I do recognize the price paid for my deserved benefits.  

When we raise a banner of "We are so undeserving" are we coming to the breakfast table as sheepish children?  When I come to the breakfast table, I want to jump down the stairs, plop in my seat at the table, pour the cereal with great vigor and smile from ear to ear with a cheesy grin.  I want to celebrate the goodness of God!  I am reaping the spiritual benefits of what I deserve because of a sacrifice I accepted.  

Again, I believe the sentiment behind "We are so undeserving" comes from a place of humility:

• I don't deserve, on my own, the blessings of a Holy God.

• I don't deserve, on my own, anything good.

• I don't deserve, on my own, eternal life.

I believe in our intent to stay humble we are losing gratitude for what He has done and who He says we are in Him.  We are elevating our lowliness and I don’t believe that’s what God intended.  He says we are new creations when we come to Him.  He has given us what we need for godly living through His goodness and power.  When we continue to elevate our lowly statue are we are elevating the power of sin? I'm not sure but it's worth asking the question. We, dear brother or sister, have been saved from the dark power of sin.  We have been made new and right through Jesus.  Let’s elevate the power of God through Jesus and not the power of sin.  Let’s instead choose to be grateful at every turn for the things we get from His hand.  Let’s change our focus not to continue to be lowly servants undeserving of any good thing to the rightful position of friends of God and heirs with Christ.

Don't hear arrogance in my tone.  Hear the truth. We are made new in Christ so therefore we have a new posture.  

At the risk of rambling, let me share one last illustration to further drive this point home.  The minute I put on a gold band on my left ring finger, I had a new identity:  Mrs. Elledge.  I get to be the wife of the most amazing man on the planet.  I get to partner with him in every aspect of life.  I get to inherit his name and should Mr. Elledge goes before me, I will inherit all his earthly possessions.  Why?  Because that's the benefit of being Mrs. Elledge.  It's what I deserve.  I am proud to wear the ring and enjoy the benefits.

What if we set down the mournful banner of "We are so undeserving" and erected a new one?  What if we took up the banner of thankfulness that boasts of His goodness to His children?  What if we replaced our humble piety with unrestrained gratitude?

Humans - all humans - are made in God's image.  Humans - who accept the sacrifice of Jesus - are not only made in God's image but also carry the image of Christ.  In Him - dear ones - we are deserving.