Advent, Day Six

Wednesday, 4 December: ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Romans 3:23-24

I think highly of myself. I’m relatively successful. I’ve remained married to Christy for thirty-five years and raised three children, which have turned out well. I pursued a career in the Army, rising from the rank of private to Lieutenant Colonel. After retirement, I returned to school, earning a Masters and embarking upon a second career as a classroom teacher. Along the way I’ve faced a variety of challenges, surmounting some and enduring others. I pay my taxes, don’t cheat on my wife, and keep my lawn mown…most of the time. But I’m no better than any thug you care to mention. I have my secrets, moments of abject failure. Turn over enough rocks in my past and you find ugliness, secret sins, hidden rages, and ancient grudges. I clean up well, but all along the way I’ve chosen poorly. I’m desperately failed and broken. I can’t even reliably choose God. I stand a rebellious, needy sinner that cannot choose well.