Sanctification is the art of getting used to our justification
-Martin Luther
Accepting Your grace is the most challenging thing for me to comprehend and accomplish. To know that You know my heart's darkest desires, my mind's most corrupt thoughts and yet call me son still. I scarce can take it in. Every mistake, every sin, that I can recall and innumerable ones I am unaware I commit daily You know them all, You see my rebellion and yet you call me son still.
Sanctification, the ceremony in which I am made holy, is simply accepting Your grace. I cannot begin to earn sanctification. I cannot begin to wash or cleanse myself. It is only by Your mercy, Your grace, Your love that I am justified.
How can my earthly heart accept such injustice? I know You know everything I've done. I know You know what I truly deserve. I know You know that it is I who should have hung on that cross and You who should have mocked me as death's sting endures for eternity. Yet you call me son still.
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
-John 13:3-8
"No Jesus, You will never ever wash my feet!" my wretched heart cries out to You. How could the creator of the universe, creator of my existence, the King above all kings, the most powerful being stoop lower than me and wash my disgusting, filthy feet? My heart turns violently inside of my chest and the one true God of all replies to my protest “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to Me.” You see my gross feet yet you call me son still.
My worldly heart looks at Your grace and Your mercy and I cry out injustice! It isn't fair that You should pay my price, That You should die so that I may live. You reply, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
Sanctification is the simplest most difficult act for me. Simple because it is finished! My debt is paid. Difficult because I have to allow You to wash my feet and acknowledge that You paid my debt.
The prodigal father, the wasteful father. For the son wasn't the most foolish, it was the father. He is the one who is so generous and so extravagant with His possessions. To bless a son who deserves death, what a prodigal father.
Please Come Home - Dustin Kensrue
I don't have time to maintain these regrets when I think about the way You love me. Thank You Jesus for seeing all of me and yet You call me son still.