Desperate

Often when I'm getting dressed in the morning I turn on Pandora. Most of those occasions I pick a station that has Kari Jobe, Mandi Mapes, Meredith Andrews, Shane and Shane or ... (there are so many to choose from...) - the point is that I gravitate toward artists whose focus is intentional worship. It helps me start my day with the right mindset...anyway, for some reason I changed it up the other morning and started my Grits/Lecrae station. (Maybe I was feeling tired and needed some beats to perk me up a bit?)


One of the first songs that came up was 'Desperate' by Lecrae. Have you heard it? No? Okay, even if you've heard it before, watch the video below.

I had never heard that song before. Man, did it strike a chord in me! I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel exactly the way that Lecrae describes. I feel the deep shame that only sin can bring. My sins feel like a burden. They slow me down and discourage me. I get paranoid thinking other people know what I've done and are secretly condemning me for it.


We all feel that way at times in our lives, don't we? We're human and therefore sinful by nature.


I'll be honest (as I'm prone to do here) - if the song stopped at 1:00 or so, I don't know what I'd do. It's depressing to think about having no rescue from this world of sin and shame. All doubts aside, even if you don't believe in God or accept the Bible as Truth or want anything to do with 'that religious stuff,' we all have to admit that we know when we've done wrong. Even if we want to deny or justify the wrong we do in some way, we still know it's wrong. Because God made us in His image. And anything we do that doesn't fit that image is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. We know there's an edge or corner that doesn't belong, even if we don't know (or want to admit) exactly why.


Thankfully, however, the song doesn't end after a minute. Lecrae so poetically echoes the voices of David and Paul from Psalm 51 and Romans 7, respectively.


So many times since then I have been reminded of that song and encouraged at the thought of the cross, of Christ and his sacrifice for me. Sometimes I just sit in awe of the grace that God has shown. Some people say that God is mean for punishing sin - what kind of loving God would do that kind of thing? My answer is two-fold. First, God is justified in treating sin the way that he does because he is holy. Second (perhaps more importantly?), God is, in fact, extremely kind and loving. Need proof?


He made a way where there was no way.


Not only does he have wrath against sin that must be satisfied, but he poured out that wrath on himself in order to be satisfied.


The Judge stepped down from the bench and took our place as the defendant.


Praise God! He has shown us grace so that when we sin against him, it doesn't have to be counted against us! He has shown us mercy so that when we sin against him, it's already paid for!


Don't live in sin. That says the cross doesn't matter.
But don't live in shame, either. That says the cross wasn't enough.