Done

One of my favorite songs from Tenth Avenue North popped up in the rotation recently. The song “You Are More” talks about a young woman lost in fear and shame.

She says, “How did I get here?
I’m not who I once was.
And I’m crippled by the fear
That I’ve fallen too far to love”

That is a lie from the very pit of hell. The lyrics beautifully convey that no one has gone too far to experience God’s amazing Grace.

But don’t you know who you are,
What’s been done for you?
Yeah don’t you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.

Most of us have heard the passage from 2nd Corinthians preached over and over.

So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5, NLT)

I am ashamed to admit that I too often glazed over and thought about lunch when that verse came up again. I know that already! Give me something deep. Should we go for brisket or Tex-Mex?

The truth is that I forgot or didn’t trust the truth of that passage. I once wore a WWJD bracelet. I quit wearing it because the bracelet only reminded me of how often and spectacularly I failed to do what Jesus would do.

The truth is the bracelet should read W.H.J.D. anyway. What Has Jesus DONE? Here is a partial list of what He has DONE for you. Finished. Completed. Finis.

  • You have been changed.
  • You are a new creation.
  • Your sins are forgiven. Past, present and future.
  • Jesus loves you just as you are
  • You are righteous because of your relationship with Christ and not by your disciplined attempt to do right things.
  • You have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you so you don’t have to be a slave to sin.

In short, you have been remade.

This same God that created the heavens and earth has changed this creature named Dave Burchett into something I never thought possible. Godly. A saint. Righteous. Are you kidding me? But that is what God says is true about me. And can be true about you if you put your full trust in Christ. It is DONE. The chorus of the song reaffirms that truth.

‘Cause this is not about what you’ve done,
But what’s been done for you.

This is not about where you’ve been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

Paul finished his letter to the Galatians with this thought.

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. (Galatians 6, NLT)

Trust that truth and see what a difference it can make in the New Year.