Reduced to Grace

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

What a verse this is! It is like waterfall of motivation. A waterfall has a continual flow of water that pours over it and it just keeps on coming and this verse draws us and draws us. Not by works or obligation... it is just moving in a constant direction and if we let it dwell in our minds we also are moved by it.

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:5-8 ESV

He poured Himself out.

I sometimes think that I want to be filled with God's Spirit or renewed by His Word but maybe there is little room in my soul for what is new. It is too full of the old. I need to pour it all out first then there will be room.

Our thoughts and fears need to be poured out to God and burdens should be cast upon Him because he cares. We want to give Him the bad things... and we should He has asked us to do that...

The first tenth of the best of what comes in goes to God. The tithe is a beautiful thing and it puts my life and possessions in order. What be belongs to me? What is really mine? None of it if I am smart. I'd rather be a steward of God's things.

But then there is the time where we pour it all out. Yes, All of it... times when we make ourselves poor. It is the opposite of our natural inclination... our riches can be our safety. Physical riches, mental riches or emotional riches... Our time can be so valuable but it is good to clear our schedules ever once in while and just pour out... Our refrigerator might be full be some days it is good for us if we eat nothing and give the day to God for something else.

If it is works then we can be doing that outward actions put still be full of ourselves. But when we are drawn from from Christ's rich state into His poorest moment then we are reduced to grace and grace alone. We can pass through the eye of the needle that is the cross. Who will emerge on the other end? Will it be a poor person or a rich person?

Do we dare to let go? I want to have a loose grip on my own life. His life is what I need take hold of today. His life is what everyone needs.