Are you good enough?

Some notes from my heart after reading, “Two Men Who Talked to God” (Luke 18) from the Read-Aloud Bible Stories by Ella Lindvall with my kids this morning:

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This was me. This was me growing up. And this was me in high school. I thought I was good. I didn’t party. I didn’t drink. I did well in school. And everybody told me I was good enough. This is the way of our world, with a certain standard set upon us in school and in society. If you keep it, they say, “wow, you’re great!” Or “look at you, look at what you accomplished …” and I heard this implied, over and over, you do so many good things, you do so well in life you’re not like “them” – therefore, I was good enough.

I had heard about God, of course. My parents read the Bible. I went to church gatherings. But wasn’t religion just for “weak” people? Still, I was around church enough to know you should pray, and occasionally I prayed, but it was more like the first man in this story (you can read the whole story in Luke 18) “God, thank you that I have been blessed, thank you that I’m not the guy down the street that parties, thank you that I am diligent and do my work, thank you that I have accomplished so much….”

Blah. I’m horrified to think of it now.

I remember when my older brother died and for the first time, all of my worldly accomplishments mattered for nothing.

I remember when I read The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee, and I read for the first time the story of Jacob, and all his natural accomplishments, and how even with all of his natural accomplishments, nothing in him could please God, that he had to be broken before he could be used by God.

I remember learning about sin, and that really, it’s just anything that falls short of God’s glory. It’s knowing the good you ought to do and not doing it. It’s pride, and thinking you’re better. Thinking you’re so good that you don’t need God. (Romans 3:23, James 4:17)

I remember learning about my Lord Jesus, and discovering his perfect life. Not just a teacher. Not just someone who kept a good moral code. But the Son of God. The only one who actually was good enough–willingly gave up his life so that those of us who had nothing good in us (Romans 7:18)–could be with him for eternity.

Guys. Seriously.

This is good news.

Yes, you have to be willing to acknowledge that you’re not good enough (don’t we all deep down know that anyway?) Next, you really just have to say “I need him.” For me, I know that “him” is Jesus and I know that he is real because he has proven himself to me over and over and over again.

But I know there are many people who don’t know that Jesus is God. And I’m just asking – won’t you take a minute and acknowledge – “I don’t know everything. I have failed. I need something or someone that is outside of me.” And then just ask, “God, what do you look like – are you Jesus? Are you the Jesus that came two thousand years ago and died on the cross?” And ask him to speak to you. Or open a Bible and ask is there something in there he wants to tell you.

There were two men in the story in Luke.

One said, “thank you God that I’m good enough and I’ve got it all together”

One said, “I’ve got nothing – have mercy on me“

And the second one is the one God heard.

Matthew 5:3 says, “Blessed are they that know their need for the Lord” (NEB, NLT)

It’s a verse I have come to love and cherish in these last years. When I became a Christian, by choice I gave up opportunities for fame and success. And as I’ve become a wife and a mom, more and more, I have become aware of my failures and how I don’t measure up not only to the world’s demands, but also to the demands of my own heart.

But there is such a glorious hope that I just wish the whole world could know.

It’s not about us guys. It’s not about how good we are. It’s not about how “together” our life is. It’s about knowing that we need him.

He just wants you to know that you need him.

If you know that you need him. If your life is crashing apart. If you feel so weak. If you feel without hope. If you are grieving and longing for a better life. If you are despairing because your life is a mess and things didn’t turn out as you thought they should…

Just agree with him, yes, you’re not good enough.

And know that you are right where he wants you. Call out to the Lord Jesus – find everything you need in him

He is the thrill of hope!
He is the reason the weary world rejoices!

Have you seen him?
Have you tasted him?
He is real this Jesus.
He is a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief and he longs to meet you in your time of need.

I don’t know who it is that needs to read this. But it was shared through tears while hiding out in my room from a few kids 🙂

This is good news. And his word promises,

”Those who hope in him shall not be disappointed” Isaiah 49:23
”Those who look to him are radiant with joy, their faces shall never be put to shame” Psalm 34:5
And “They that seek the Lord shall lack no good thing” Psalm 34:10

He is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. His name is Jesus.

He was born in a manger, yes. Died on a cross, yes. Was raised to life again, yes. And a thorough search through history books will affirm these facts beyond the shadow of a doubt. But he came not to be a figment of history or part of a story we tell – but to be real and living in our lives today. To give hope to the hurting, to give strength to the weak, to give help in time of need.

There are so many weary hearts in our world today. Maybe yours is one.

But have you heard this good news?

It’s not about how good you are.
It’s not about measuring up.
Here’s the truth: You don’t. You won’t. Never. Not ever. No matter how “perfect” you are.

It’s about how good he has been to us, while we were and are fully unworthy.

Does it make sense? No.
Hard to believe? Yes.
But amazing, and worth telling the world about, even if they see you as a fool?

A thousand times over, yes.

Would you consider looking at this story of Jesus anew? And considering calling out to him – either for the first time, or to come back to him?

With deep love,
an unworthy sinner, rescued by grace.