Pressing On (2)

The other night in my care group meeting my wife felt led to read from Rom. 5:1-8. It's a familiar passage

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

While she read this, something stirred in me at the words, "while we were still weak (v.6).."

weak..."while we were still"...weak.

weak?

Weakness is not celebrated in our culture of strength.

When I thankfully work out at 24 Fitness (notice the words when and thankfully) I'm struck by the words that speak the opposite of this.
"You've got what it takes!" says the banner in letters the size of my 4 year old.

But that's not what Rom. 5 says about me. In fact, it says the opposite of this. It says painfully that I don't have what it takes and I never did. It says in my sin I'm far from strong. I'm light-years from capable. I'm an ocean from being the guy in the picture whose got "what it takes."

But it says more than that. Weak in my love--weak in my sin--weak in my ability--weak in my pursuit of God--One was not weak. One never wavered. One never tired in his affection for God and His obedience to God. One stepped down to help the weak. To help me.

Rom 5 says that at the right time--in my weakness--Christ was strong. When I was dead to God--Christ was alive to him. When I was incapable to come near to God--Christ was capable to be the perfect bridge. When I had no ability to serve God--Christ not only became my record before God, but my very resurrection thru His life for me and in me (5:10).

All of my pursuing after God is not ultimately coming from me--as if weakness can somehow turn itself upside down. As if life comes from its own death. As if ability jumps out its own vacuum.

No. Life has come because Christ has come. Ability has come because Christ has come. Even in the moments when it may feel like raw discipline--pursuing hard after God has come because Christ has come.

I don't have what it takes.

But He does.