“Lord, I come… I confess,
Bowing here I find my rest.
Without You I fall apart;
You’re the One that guides my heart”

“Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more;
Where grace is found is where You are.
And where You are, Lord, I am free;
Holiness is Christ in Me!”

“Lord, I need You, Oh, I need You;
Ev’ry hour I need You!
My one defense, my righteousness;
Oh God, how I need You!”

“Teach my song to rise to You
When temptation come my way;
And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on You;
Jesus, You’re my hope and stay!”
              Lord, I Need You
D.Carson, K.Stanfill, C.Nockels, J.Reeves, M.Maher

This song has been resonating in my soul as of late, and it had me wondering about how to rectify the message of positive confession and the overcoming life over and against my very present reality of struggling though this life… and often failing.  I’ve come to realize that, within the Kingdom economy of living between the “already” and the “not yet,” I seem to live closer to the “not yet” side of the equation more than I care to tell.

But recognizing my human weakness is not “negative confession.” It is simply that: recognizing that without Jesus I can do nothing (John 15:5). Left to my own devices and schemes and, yes, even to my sincere attempts of living righteously, I will fail. It’s ONLY by the power of Christ in me that I am able to live for Him, by Him, through Him.  Jesus, and ONLY Jesus, is truly “my hope and stay.” When I forget this, and try to live by my own strength, wisdom or design, trouble is probably not that far off (cf Proverbs 3:5).

So when life comes crashing down, and I come crashing with it, picking myself up by my own bootstraps is not an option I want to consider.  I DESPERATELY need a ‘pick-me-up’ from God! (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). “When I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3). This doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t give any effort to right living.  What it means is that every effort must be squarely and firmly anchored and rooted in God: His love and grace and mercy and power.  “For by grace you have been (and might I add, still are) saved through faith…. not by works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:4-9).

“My one defense, my righteousness;
Oh, God, how I need You!”