Rags of filth

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. Isaiah 64:6 NLT

Yesterday I had a eureka moment.  It was one of those moments where something I always knew somewhere in the back of my head was suddenly shot forward into the space where current thoughts lie and started to make perfect sense.  No matter what I do for God,  no matter how important I am to any church,  no matter what title I hold, no matter how many books I write,  before God,  my knowledge is nothing. My "goodness"  is nothing, my righteousness is nothing, my importance is nothing,  I AM NOTHING! I am - we are - absolutely nothing without God. 

Many of us Christian sometimes forget how insignificant we are next to God.  Don't get me wrong, in God's eyes we are special and loved, but if we ever think that we have earned that love, then we need to go back to the basics.  No matter how good we are  or how righteous we try to live,  next to God we will appear like filthy rags.  Sin did that to us and only God can undo it.  Nothing I could ever say or write would make any sense without God. God is the one who makes me make sense.  Outside of him I'd be just blowing hot air.

So from this point forward I need to try to remember that even though I lead worship or dance or write books or write blogs that people like,  I am still NOTHING without God,  I can go NOWHERE without God. If more of us remember that, then there would be much less drama in our churches because let's face it,  a lot of our conflict stems from self importance.  A lot of preachers go rogue and preach nonsense because of self importance, a lot of heresy is preached because of self importance.  A lot of church members stress out their pastors because of self importance.

Remembering that it is God who makes us holy and clean and righteous will remind us that we are nothing outside of Him. Maybe then we will stop putting our own agendas and preferences ahead of His. 

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Joana James - Author of From Redemption to Maturity, Trusting God with your Future,   Nightmare at Emerald High & Alana and Alyssa's Secret & Finding Romeo