Slavery

So, I was thinking yesterday about Psalm 40. In the ESV and many other translation it says "you have given me an open ear" (v.6) My first thought was this meant that God opened our ears to hear His truths. That was, until I read the NIV. It says "my ear you have pierced." Now, that's different from listening. Piercing sounds more permanent. Piercing sounds painful. (ok, maybe an over-exageration, its just an ear).

But these words are right smack dab in between two phrases about how God does not require sacrifice. Why? Well, because He has claimed me as His own (hence the piercing). I am struck by the fact that its not what I can do. Its not what I have done. It's all about Him and His work. He doesn't want, need or even desire my sacrifice as a means to earn favor before Him. Actually, it says in Psalm 51:16 that He does not even delight in my sacrifices. That leaves my pride and self-sufficiency in a predicament. They want to earn - He says "nope, you can't." They want to achieve, He says "you're helpless to achieve anything without Me." They want the glory, He says "all glory to the Lamb that was slain."

So, what can I bring to this Almighty, Holy Savior? I cannot see this grace and remain unchanged. I cannot truly experience this amazing Kindness and it not result in something. Thankfully, I don't have to look far for the answer. Psalm 51:17 - the sacrifices God requires are 2 things - a broken spirit (repentence) and a contrite heart (humility). He wants me to repent of my pride and humbly turn to Him as the Source of my All. I'm simply a riverbed. He's the life that flows through. I'm dry and worthless without His life. But with that life, with that water flowing through my dry cracked riverbed of a life, He can work abundantly. Block the source of the water, and suddenly the river loses its appeal and functionality. But when the water's there, hundreds are served. Not just the riverbed is given a purpose, but look at what it does - parched animals are quenched, plants grow as a result, and so much more. The riverbed should never forget that the water is what brings that fruit. Its not the dry cracked dusty ground underneath that live-giving water.

Romans 6:11 - consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive in Christ. I've been buried with Him. My pride. My selfish conceit, my all-pervasive sin has been killed with Him. Now I'm a slave to righteousness. My nature has been changed. I can be different. I should be different. I'm bearing the image of my Father. It's natural for me to look like Him.