Wrapped by God

My children always know which gifts are from Mom. 

Each box sports a telltale square of wrapping paper taped to the bottom of the package to hide the gap where the paper doesn’t quite meet. It’s sad, really, because no matter how carefully I cut and measure, I never manage to completely cover up what’s inside. 

This dilemma is the story of my life, too, and a fitting commentary on Christmas. 

For 18 years I tried to be a good girl. I clothed myself in the shiny wrappings of diligence, conscientiousness, hard work, education, and good deeds. 

From the right angle, I looked practically perfect. But every now and then someone or something would tip the box of my life upside down and reveal what I was desperately trying to hide – the gap between my self-effort and God’s standard. 

Sometimes my selfishness would show through my self-accomplished wrapping, and I’d try to cover it by justifying my behavior. Other times my rebelliousness would peek out, and I’d Scotch tape over it, calling it independence. Jealousy, fear, and insecurity took turns widening the gap that exposed my true nature, and no amount of self-help squares kept them covered for long. 

Despite my best efforts, the sin gap widened, and my ability to piecemeal a covering failed miserably. The apostle Paul describes it like this: 

"There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Rom. 3:10-12). 

Once I realized no amount of good works or self-effort could bridge the gap between who I was and who God had created me to be, I gave up. Which was really, really good. 

Because that’s when God stepped in. 

Once I admitted my hopelessness and my need for someone other than myself to govern my life, God went to work. Instead of cutting a bigger square of self-effort to cover my inadequacies, however, he ripped off the paper I’d pieced together and covered me in his righteousness. 

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isa. 61:10). 

Now, when part of my sinful nature shows through, God takes the Scotch tape out of my hands. He drapes the covering of 1 John 1:9 over the gap and, little by little, changes my nature to make me more like his son. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness,” he promises. 

One day, when I get to Heaven, I’ll no longer struggle. My sinful nature will be gone, and I’ll serve God dressed in the beauty of holiness. Until then, I’ll let Jesus’ righteous wrapping cover me – even when life’s circumstances tip me upside down.

Now it's your turn. When did you realize your helplessness to clean yourself up or get yourself right and surrender to God's work in your life? Leave a comment below and share your story. If you're reading by email, click HERE to visit Hungry for God online and comment.


Dear Hungry for God friends,

I suspect there are quite a few busy women on your Christmas list. Friends, co-workers, fellow church members, and your children's teachers, coaches, and babysitters, to name a few.

If you'd like to give them a gift that will draw them closer to the Lord, encourage them to spend time in God's Word, and think biblically, Hungry for God ... Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women is the gift you're looking for.

And what about those friends and loved ones who may not have a relationship with the Lord?

In the last devotion in the book, I share, in a winsome and non-threatening way, what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you give someone you care about a copy of HFG, you'll not only be passing along spiritual encouragement, you'll also be sharing the gospel. Either way, you could change someone's life forever.

And that's what Christmas is all about.

I'm excited to say that
Hungry for God . . . Starving for Time has 112 reviews and a 4.8 star rating on Amazon. It received the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award in 2016.

If you live in the Columbia, South Carolina area, I'd love to autograph and personalize copies for your special friends. Email me at LoriAHatcher (at) gmail.com.



  

Are you hungry for God, but starving for time? 
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Sign up for a free subscription to Hungry for God by CLICKING HERE.
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Because busy women need to connect with God in the craziness of everyday life.