Carry me!

Romans 8.10-11
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (ESV)

I am so thankful for the words that pointed me freshly to the truth in Scriptures like this one. I was driving to work, alive to all outward appearances, when I realized I was listening to my theme song:

Carry me!
I'm just a dead man
lying on the carpet
can't find a heart beat.
Make me breathe!
I wanna be a new man
tired of the old one
off with the old plan

That morning I had been feeling especially dead -- mentally, physically, and spiritually -- until I found myself singing along with the chorus, tears in my eyes. I pray that God will continue to send me (and you!) encouragement like this. It still seems strange to me that being reminded of my inability to do anything good should be anything but depressing. I guess it's all just a part of the topsy-turvy (to our human eyes) Kingdom Jesus preached about.

The world (OK, American can-do culture) tels me I can do anything I want to, that I just need to find my inner strength, that my attitude is everything. The trouble is that even if they're pretty much right, I still wouldn't be able to do anything worthwhile on my own, outside of the precious grace Jesus Christ has bought and secured for my by his death and resurrection! So, I'm so glad that I am frequently reminded of my total inadequacy. It drives me to God, who alone can bring good out of my life that he created, purchased, and rightfully owns.

So, Lord my God, carry me! Make me breathe! You are the only One who can sustain the new man who you have planted in the old man's body.



Dead Man, by Jars of Clay, is on their Good Monsters album.