On My Best Day

 “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:1-3)
 
 
On My Best Day
 
I’m not a good person and neither are you
We cannot do right no matter what we do
No good thing exists within our flesh
Try as we might all we produce is death
 
On my best day I don’t amount to much
My moral goodness is but a weak crutch
I wander in the darkness thinking it’s light
Proclaiming I can see when I have no sight
 
No set of rules exist that grant me grace
Earned righteousness makes His death a waste
If I could attain heaven by keeping the law
Why did Jesus die to redeem us all?
 
There is no grading system, my “A” won’t do
I stand naked and barren in front of You
There is none righteous, no not one
The only place of righteousness is in the Son
 
We cannot attain holiness by our own merit
God is not a man that He should dangle a carrot
If we are good and do good we will gain favor?
Our sacrifices arise like a sweet smelling savour?
 
No, nothing in me sought after Good and True
No, there is not enough good I can do
I am deeply aware that I don’t measure up
In my need for salvation He drank the cup
 
He swallowed my murder, my slander, my sin
He took all the dregs of me inside of Him
He bore the ugliness of my moral good
Along with all my rules; the shouldn’ts and shoulds
 
When the cup was finished, as He yielded His will
He arose from the Garden, carried my cross up that Hill
He bore the punishment I rightly deserved
He rescued me from the old master I served
 
He died the death I deserved to die
And yet I miss it and continue to strive?
Strive to be good enough, strive to keep the rules
What maddening folly causes me to be such a fool?
 
Give me the wisdom that comes from above
Wisdom that is strong yet gentle as a dove
Wisdom that cries aloud in the streets
Wisdom that brings me to He who is peace
 
Wisdom that shows me He is my life
Wisdom that reveals the depths of Christ
Wisdom that crushes my righteous deeds
Wisdom that digs a hole and plants the True Seed
 
Wisdom that guides me on the path of faith
Wisdom that drowns me in amazing grace
Wisdom that before time ever began
Prepared a spotless, sinless, Precious Lamb…
 
 
“But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved; and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”  (Ephesians 2:4-6)
 
If you are in Christ Jesus you have been brought from death to life by ‘his great love wherewith he loved us.”  Outside of Him you are dead--lifeless. 
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Are you in Him?
 
 
 
 
 
 
Written by Anne Marie Hawke
March 2022
 
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