“To all who did receive him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
Gracious Jesus, I woke up this morning with these words gladly claiming my attention. “Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what thou art; I am finding out the greatness of thy loving heart.” (Jean Pigott).
I raise my hands in worship much easier than I get on my face. But I’ll never forget the Sunday the truth of this hymn led me, quite literally, to do a faceplant in your grace. All 6 feet of me, from the bottom of my Birkenstocks to the top of my head, were stretched out on the blue carpet in the old CCC sanctuary.
I was a senior pastor, but a junior in freedom, health, and wholeness. Much stress, little sleep, and restless struggle finally caught up with me. (Hallelujah) It felt so good to feel so helpless (and it still does). Helpless enough to receive what you alone can give, Jesus: Grace upon grace, and more grace where that grace came from.
From beginning to end, the Christian life is about receiving, not achieving—resting in you Jesus, not vexing about yesterday, today, or tomorrow. Receiving everything you are—not impressing you, not anguishing over everything we aren’t.
“Finding out the greatness of your loving heart”… that’s what we need more than anything else, Jesus. More than we need all wars to be over; more than we need mere people to “get us” and not fail us. More than we need oxygen, water, and bread. So Very Hallelujah and Amen.