MESSING UP!

 

I mess up. For me, I mess up too often. I am not a perfectionist, per se, but I get so frustrated when I mess up. Whether I mess up in a sermon, in relationships with others, it doesn't matter. MESSING UP bothers me. I lose sleep over it, especially when it applies to PEOPLE I care about. I always want to give my best and when I give second best, my competitive, coaching instincts say, "YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!" God made me this way. I don't think it is sinful to be hard on yourself. Yet, I have told two people in the last week that they NEED to give themselves a LITTLE GRACE! I need to take my own advice. 

It reminds me of the OLD TESTAMENT way of giving sacrifice.  God used this system of sacrificing animals as a stop-gap, or a foreshadowing what Jesus would do for us. AND in the midst of the Old Testament, people started giving sacrifices just because! They did not have a purpose, they were not meaningful to the GIVER and God says they weren't that meaningful him. God does not expect my perfection. As a matter of fact, he knows that I will sin and that I am far from perfect. He provides the grace I so dearly need. All I need to do is praise him.

"But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine....Make thankfulness you sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." (Psalm 50:9-12, 14-15, NLT)

What can I give God? As I was reading Psalm 50 today, I was thinking about this question. The answer is obvious. I have nothing. What could I possibly give the CREATOR of the universe, who created everything I could possibly give? The only thing I have of any value is to FREELY give myself to him. He wants to dwell with me, that is why he came down to live with me as the SON of GOD.  

God wants ME. He wants you. He doesn't want our sacrifices. He doesn't want our WORKS. He doesn't want or expect perfection. He wants US. He wants me and he wants you. 

Heavenly Father, I seek your forgiveness when I am less than the person you have called me to be. Help me to grant some grace when I mess up. Keep me focused on just being with you and loving you. Help me forget about seeking perfection and instead sit in the presence of YOUR PERFECTION. AMEN!

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If you haven't repented of your sin, accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, dying for your sins, or if you have not committed your life to Jesus, TODAY could be that day. give your life to the Lord. 

"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

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