His own Special People

I've been reading through church doctrine recently (it's one of my hobbies. seriously) and I came across a statement that I wondered whether I could sign my name under. In a local church's covenant document it reads "To turn from all godless living and sinful pleasures and to live consistent, God-honoring lives." Now that's all good stuff and sounds really pleasing to God. But the truth is, I can't do that. I'll always turn to godless living, it's my nature and I'll always have to be turned back, again and again.  So I'm struggling with this today, wrestling with such a weighty commitment and feeling like I've already failed God and my committment to Him on so many counts, every day, that to make another committment aloud makes it real and real means I have to try to follow it, giving me more things to fail at.

Then I noticed a series of scripture passages connected with the statements and opened to Titus 2:12-13. "Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." (as an editor's note please notice this is one sentence and I started in the middle so no complaining about my run-ons. Now back to the point).

The friction I felt before flushed out after reading this passage. Do you see it? So at the beginning we're right where we were- trying to deny ourselves everything of the world and live godly lives. But it doesn't end there and it doesn't leave all the pressure on us. It says "that He might REDEEM us..."  He is going to continually save us and we need not rest on our own merit or accomplishments. I fight so hard to be a Christian and do the right thing on my own effort. I strive and push myself and forget to lean on Him and let God be God. He never intended a period in that sentence because the climax hadn't yet come when He was explaining our duties. He planned to redeem us, to set up apart, to "purify for Himself His own special people." I'm not just a person, I'm a special person. I'm not an accident, I'm not a mistake, I'm special and intricately made perfect. And while I don't act perfect all the time (ok fine, hardly ever), He still made me perfect and set me apart. And that's all I need to know. I think we search our whole lives to be told we're enough and He just told me that.