"Rescued from Me"

Yesterday's devotion in "Portals of Prayer" was wonderful. It really tied in great with everything else I was reading and focusing on the past couple of days - Christ's Cross. I ordered two new books (I just love amazon.com way too much!): Outrageous Mercy by William Farley and The Cross of Christ by John Stott. I heard that The Cross He Bore by Frederick Leahy is really good, but they didn't have any inexpensive ones. I will keep my eyes open for that one too! Anywho, I thought I'd share this great devotion (short but great) with you all. Enjoy!

"Today's Scripture (Romans 7:14-25 and Psalm 51) verses are a full-length mirror. Did you see yourself? I saw myself from head to toe. 'I do not understand my own actions' (Romans 7:15). 'I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out' (v. 18). 'I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing' (v. 19). Paul may be describing himself here, but he reflects our natures all too clearly. Looking honestly at our thoughts, words, and deeds, each of us must say, 'Wretched man that I am!' (v. 24).

Unable to do anything about what we see in this mirror, we echo Paul: 'Who will deliver me from this body of death?' (v. 24). Who will rescue me from me?

(my favorite part...) Look again. Someone has moved in front of the mirror. For an instant, He reflects the image of God, but quickly He becomes our wretchedness. His hands aer raised, not to give a blessing, but to receive a curse as nails pierce and blood flows. He hangs there despised, rejected, dead and gone.

(my favorite, favorite part...) Look again. He's back. He's alive! He's holy, and His holiness covers our wretchedness; it covers us.

Look in the mirror, and do not despair. Se Christ and only Christ. For that is who God sees when He looks at us. He's rescued us from us."

Just try this... look in the mirror and see what you see. Who is this person God created? Do you believe you are the beautiful and gifted person God sees? Look again, do you see Christ moving in front of you now? Watch Him as He hangs on the cross and watch as He ascends to the heavens and sits in glory at the right hand of God! Now look again... yup... do you see Him in you this time? Oh how I loved this thought. This is who God sees. Not my flaws, not my sins, but Christ. Through Christ we are free to be fruitful as God intends. Through Christ we may live with God!

I look forward to reading my books I bought yesterday about the Cross (I need to finish all the books I'm reading right now first though...)!

"No theology is genuinely Christian which does not arise from and focus on the cross."
~Martin Luther~