#unworthy

I hear the Savior say “thy strength indeed is small. Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in me thine all in all”. Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain [and] He washed it white as snow. Oh praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead.


Joseph and I had the opportunity to help run a youth missions training this past weekend in Kent, WA. This actually was the first training that I have been able to attend with Joe, so I was a trainer in training which meant I got to observe everyone and how the training ran, and then studied all the presentations and gave them to a YMI staff member. When we train a missions trip, we focus on many different things. We do quite a few team building activities, cultural awareness training, simply talk about what the Gospel is, and share different practical tips as well. We also try to prepare our students by helping them learn to share the Gospel through a few different resources. One of these resources is a “Gospel Bracelet”. I’m sure you have seen one of these. It is simply a piece of string with five colored beads strung on: yellow, black, red, white, green, with each bead representing something different. Yellow (heaven), black/dark (sin), red (blood), white/clean (salvation), green (growth). Then we teach youth how to walk through the Gospel story incorporating each of these five colors. I’ve heard this presentation a million times, but it hit me this last weekend when the staff member that presented the bracelet got to the white/clean bead.

Granted, in both the hymn and the bracelet, it is referring to our salvation and how we were saved from our sin nature and when we entered into the beautiful relationship with our Savior. And that, in-and-of-itself, is a HUGE miracle. I mean we were sinners destined for Hell and by the grace of God we can be redeemed, destined for eternity with Him.

Unworthy. Blessed. Saved.

But what happens after that initial saving of our lives?

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin
might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin”
-Romans 6:6

We have been set free from sin, but we still sin. We are humans, we have a sin nature. Only by the grace of God are we saved in Him but we still battle that sin nature every day. While we are assured forgiveness if we ask for it, that still does not give us the freedom to sin but we don’t have the power alone to abstain from it.

“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ...But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness”
-Romans 6:15, 17-18

“Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God”
-Romans 5:2

By and through Christ we have obtained access into His grace. And our sins that were forgiven were forgiven for the past, the present, and the future.

Here is what gets me. Not only were we saved from the depths into His grace, He permits us to live in that grace for eternity. Meaning, even though you have now been saved, the sins you continue to commit (because your sin nature still wars with Christ after your conversion) are still being washed away and you STILL appear white as snow in Christ’s eyes.

Mind blown. (to be read with Gru’s accent from Despicable Me)

See, the way I would see it (which means it’s probably a good thing I’m not God) is that I would look at someone and go “Yo, I saved you. I saved your life. But you are continuing to make such stupid decisions?? Fine, no more saving for you!” And obviously, I’m not gansta either.

But that’s not what Christ does. Our faith in Him is not based on works but rather on faith and it is by HIS works that we are saved. And He chooses to continue to save us and purify us and cleanse us no matter what. He forgives us, and sees us to be His perfect and holy Bride.

I am humbled to the floor by the fact that Christ does not hold my sins against me. I can be set free and redeemed from my sins by asking His forgiveness. Why? I am not worthy of it, I don’t always make the right decisions, I shouldn’t be given it. But that’s the beauty of His forgiveness. Ask, and you will receive. Our forgiveness and our purity and our cleanliness are not determined by our own works but by His. Our salvation is not based on our works but upon our faith. Our life is not for our own glory but for His magnification. So all we can do is accept this beautiful gift of forgiveness, and rejoice in the freedom He bestows. Daily. Weekly. Monthly. Yearly. For life. Do you accept His forgiveness?

Then, due to the forgiveness that we have been extended, we are called to “forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:16). If I were to be honest, I would admit that often I find it hard to forgive others. I hold people to a very high standard, and when they fall short of that standard I often respond with bitterness and frustration. But when I look at the extent to which the Lord has forgiven and loved me and extended me grace upon grace, then why do I have such a hard time extending grace to others?

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus”
- Philippians 2:3-5

Do nothing from rivalry, but count others more significant. This is a pretty heavy challenge, no?

I would like to end simply with this, and leave you something to think about. Do you marvel at the grace God has given to you, or is it simply an “old shoe” when it comes to His blessings? Do you realize the gravity of the grace He has given you? And are you willing to extend that grace to others, knowing you are demonstrating Him to that person?

We were destined for hell. Yet for some unseen reason, we are saved by the Almighty God. Praise be to Him. 

November 2013 Update Letter

Our first update letter as husband and wife! If you would like to know what Joe and I are up to, or how the Lord is using us and working in our lives, please read this! We are SO thankful for all that the Lord did this summer, and look forward to seeing His faithfulness continue as we seek to bring Him the glory!

PS: If you would like to be on our email list for this, please email Joe at joseph@ymimissions.org

-Joe n' Tay