This book (the Bible) knows me!

For me one of the convincing proofs that what the Bible claims about itself is true, is summed up in the title of this post. In particular it knows my propensity to rationalize and to deny, to blame others before I blame myself, to see the speck of dust in the other person's eye but not see the plank in my own (Matthew 7:3) etc., etc.

I didn't always know these things about myself. I can't say I ever felt I was a good person, but neither did I think of myself as evil. The Scriptures tell us that one of the Holy Spirit's jobs is to convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). I need to say more about this. I have a whole chapter in my coming book entitled “We may not want to know what we need to know”. But in any case, Holy Spirit did a good job on me, and there was a timing to it. Let me ask you, have you ever wanted to murder someone? I have! We say it glibly “I could have murdered him (her)”. Have you ever had murder in your heart? Again I have, and the scarey thing is that I am not at all sure I would not have done it if I had thought I could have gotten away with it. What I was sure about (at the time) was the rightness of my cause.

They tell me that at the break up of a marriage, it is common for both parties to place 100% of the blame on the other party. This is not of course, possible. We are talking about perceptions, and they can be (and often are) wrong. When we know its the other person's fault and they blame us, we explain it by saying that they are blind (or worse). Well everyone is blind at some level. We see it so clearly in others. They are all bind and they don't see it! So when we look at ourselves, do we see that we are blind, did I? No! Think about it from a statistical point of view. Out of over six billion people, can I be the only one who is not blind?

So I knew (at the time) where to place the blame, but my life was falling apart and I become desperate enough to try anything, even God. When I say this I like to add, that if He had not been there for me in a very tangible and helpful way, “it” would never have held me. When my life started to fall apart though, and I started to seek God, He met me where I was. But He loved me to much to leave me where I was. I started to see that I have this ability to minimize my own faults and maximize the other buddy's. How easily I make excuses for my behaviour. If I want to do something, I will find a thousand reasons to do it, but if I don't want to do the very same thing, I will find a thousand reasons not to do it (October 1, 2010). What I am saying, is that in my own eyes I was blameless, but as the Scriptures put it “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. (Romans 2:10,11). Half the time we don't see it. We see it in others, but in ourselves? Well again, what are odds?

When the Holy Spirit came and started to show me my sin, I fell apart. He started to show me my side of the blame, how much what I said and did was destructive (to both others and myself), and I started to see how self centred I was etc. etc. The Bible knew I needed to be forgiven, and since in the end God is the one we have most offended, and also since He is God, He has the right to offer forgiveness. The Bible knew I needed God, needed His forgiveness, His love, His acceptance and His grace. I needed to be saved (rescued) most of all from myself.

The fact of the matter is that we all desperately need to be rescued (saved). We all need to be saved from each other and from ourselves. Even when the other person has done incredible wrong (as in abuse and the like) too often our response to that wrong is wrong too, and because it is wrong it keeps us stuck. We need to forgive, but that can be hard, really hard. So this book knows we need help: we need to be forgiven (the true cure for guilt); we need help to forgive others; help to love when it is withheld from us; help to get out of our addictions; help to live lives that do not tear ourselves and each other down. After all as one book title puts is “hurt people, hurt people,” ourselves included!

Thankfully, the Bible not only knows us where we are wrong and where we need help, but it also shows us the way forward. Jesus invites us to go to Him when we are weary and burdened, and He has promised to give us rest (Matthew 11:28). He goes further, He promises that when we surrender and continue, He will set us free (John 8:31), and give us a fulness of life in the here and now that we cannot imagine (John 10:10).

Yes, this book knows me, knows my weakness, knows what I need, and knows that if and when I surrender, that I will find all and more in Him than I ever (often without knowing it) wanted. He is inviting us (you and me) even now. What is your (my) response? Here is mine:

Prayer: Father thank You for reminding me of my ongoing need for You. Once again I surrender to you. Give me what I need to live the life You are calling me to. Thank You that You know me, and love me anyway. Thank You that You sent Your Son to save me, and lead me into fullness of life. Come, and continue to come into all that I am, each and every day. In Jesus name Amen.