What does God expect of us?
What do you think God expects of you? Well I don't know about you but I think he expects me to be a good christian woman. To live good, to act good, to show goodness to others, to think good thoughts, to do good things. In fact, over the years, in my study of the Bible, I've tended to find and then dwell on those passages that call me to obey. And then what do I do? I try harder and harder to obey.
Now, don't get me wrong, God DOES call us to obey the precepts and commandments in his Word and that this obedience will bring blessing upon our lives. But what about all the passages in the Bible that remind us that God is ever-patient and helpful with his weak children? Passages like Romans 8:26 - The Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. Or Hebrews 4:15 - For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. Or Psalm 103:14 (emphasis mine) - For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we [came from dust and will return to the dust].
Well recently, I've been learning that, for years, I've not based the answer to our original question 'what does God expect of you?' on the WHOLE counsel of his Word. The passages about obedience resinate with my temperament: 'I have no excuse but to be successful in my christian walk! After all, I had a godly upbringing! The Lord is my Shepherd! I know the Bible! I have the Holy Spirit within me! But do you know what else causes this tendency in me to seek out those scriptures that call me to obedience? The pride lurking in every nook and cranny of my heart and mind; the proud fleshly spirit deep within me causing me to believe that if I just try harder, work longer and keep striving to be obedient, I'll be obedient. In short, I've been profoundly confused about what God expects of me AND what I'm actually capable of achieving in my life. So now what?!
Well, here's what I'm just beginning to grasp from Barbara Duguid's book Extravagant Grace: God's glory displayed in our weakness. She says "If the story of redemption is about us gradually becoming more and more less sinful, then the apostle Paul's boasting of his own weakness [in 2 Corinthians 11:30] makes no sense. BUT if the story of redemption is about Jesus and his righteousness, then our continuing weakness actual shines the spotlight on Jesus all the more brightly." This truth I'm beginning to get a handle on is becoming in me the most powerful source of joy and motivation that God ever invented! I'm weak, he is strong. When I believe this, my pride is squashed and I'm free to accept my weakness and count of the Lord to be my strength as I seek to be obedient.
As John Newton suggested, "The strongest people are those who know their own weaknesses while the weakest people are those who are most impressed by their own strength."