Deodorizer

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When all I can smell is the stink of my sin, that clings to me like the kitchen sink drain in all its filthiness,  it's then the fragrance of God's love fills my life. 

When I am at my worst, at my weakest, I see God's greatest strength and God's greatest love, as it works in my heart and life to transform me to His image. I want to share a verse that changed me and the course of my life when I learned it as a child, and it still penetrates to the inadequacy I feel as a believer who from time to time falls head first into sin. "For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 7:18,24-25)

I don't know if you have ever been there.

I don't know if you felt like I have when you do what you really don't want to do. And you don't do what you want to do. That's what Paul talks about in Romans 7 -- this thing in us, the sin in us, that drives us to do what we don't want to do. And Paul cries out, what a wretched man am I! Or as I would say, What an absolute FAILURE am I! I suck. Because it does suck when I know in a conversation I need to bite my tongue and keep quite but I speak, and speak things that are not probably the best thing to say in that particular situation. It sucks when I'm supposed to be studying but instead find myself loosing time doing stupid things. It sucks when I fail at these things that I'm supposed to be conquering at a Christian.  But here is what the Bible says in the midst of my failure to lift me up again -- "THANKS BE TO GOD, who delivers me through Jesus Christ!" There is power in Jesus Christ to stand undefeated in the midst of temptation. When sin taunts us, when the temptation is strong, there is power in Jesus Christ. There is power in Jesus Christ to transform us, to daily transform us, into His image. Into being Christ-like. 

I don't what where you are in your walk with Jesus. But along the way, there will be days when Christ is all that you see. In the stillness of a beautiful day, you will hear His words. I hope you listen. I hope you obey. There will also be days along this walk, when the trail will be foggy. And you don't see Christ in His glory. When the stink of you sin fills the air and Jesus Christ seems so far away. But even in the valley, it's His promise that His staff would comfort us. When we can't see Him, know that He is leading us. He is always there with you, never far away. With His staff, He points and nudges us in His path. Understand that His nudges are good. He is leading you through the mess. And even in the stink I hope you get to smell what I smelled today. It's His fragrance of love. His grace, that deodorizes the worst of smells, the worst of sins. I hope you get to know the depth and the width, and the greatness of His love towards you.

..I'm still figuring this out -- that He loves me like no other. He loves me more than my Daddy or Mom could ever love me. He loves me more than a male specie could ever love me. He cares about me. In the dark when the world is asleep, and no one else is awake, Jesus is awake and is listening to my cry. He knows me, inside and out. My greatest attribute, my worst flaw, He knows. And guess what? He still loves me. 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, loves you, completely, entirely, just as you are! At your best day, He is great! At your worst day, He is great! And there is power in His Name to deliver you from every sin, every shame.



 

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