While we were yet...

I was talking to someone this morning about how God uses us in spite of ourselves.

It's an issue that comes time and again. We have this tendency to look at other people-- especially when we see God at work in someone's life-- and somehow build up in our minds that there is something about the person that makes them somehow "more special" to God.

I know there were times in my life when I worked so hard to "do it all right" so that I, too, could please God.

But then there's this little scripture that keeps coming up... it's funny how God has a way of making certain scriptures just keep popping up isn't it? Sometimes, it's less like they're "popping up" and more like God has to wave them in our face to get our attention.

So... what scripture? Well, there were actually a lot of them... but one in particular:

Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

While we were yet sinners...

You know, it's so easy to forget that it was completely His grace that brought us to Him in the first place. And it's exactly the same grace that brought us to Him that keeps us. It's not all the good things we do-- though we should do good things as they are channels through which His grace may operate through us. Rather, it is His grace while we were yet...

While we were yet sinners...
While we were yet broken...
While we were yet wounded..
While we were yet...

Christ died for us.

I have a bit of a running joke with God. Often when things are difficult, when I find myself struggling, I go to prayer-- and the prayer starts with something to the effect of "well, God-- you knew what you were getting yourself into when you chose me-- so I'm your fault!"

It is His grace... from the beginning to the end... it is all Him. It's not because of us, rather it is in spite of us. In spite of our sin, in spite of our weaknesses, in spite of our failures, in spite of us-- Christ loves us and keeps us safe in Him.

And with that in mind, at the end of the day we can say nothing save "I am but an unprofitable servant."