I Am Not Enough

Why would a Soldier leave the comforts of home and put his or her life on the line in some faraway land?
Not everyone who enlists has a comfortable home in the first place, but very few have people trying to    kill them on a daily basis. Nobody forced them to risk everything. Every single one of them offered themselves up to go.

Why would a Firefighter pull out of his driveway and race to the scene of an inferno, and then go in?
It’s not their house, their possessions, their family. Or maybe, in some way – to them, anyway – it is. But they weren’t dragged into this business. They willingly put themselves in harm’s way.

Why would a Police Officer jump out of her squad car to confront armed criminals?
These are not unintelligent people, nor are they insane. There was no compulsory decree that required them to join the force and wear a badge. A higher calling moved them to protect and defend.  

Why would Jesus leave the joyous glory of heaven to come down to a world of darkness and evil?
He offered up Himself. He put Himself in harm’s way. He sought to protect and defend, to seek and to save.
He gave His life in place of those who did not deserve such heroism or sacrifice, and for some who detest Him to this day. He paid our price with His own blood, because we could never afford it. He took the torture and died the death to preserve us from the death we so richly and poorly deserve.

     Only one explanation fits. Love. A love so powerful it is willing to sacrifice self for the sake of saving the one so loved. A love so compelling it leaps into action to lead the loved away from danger, and to fight it when it comes back again. A love so inspiring that it surrounds and fills to overflowing the heart, soul and life that can never know a greater love than this. A love so amazing, so divine. So needed.
     Before one of my days came to be, God knew what I must still learn, the core truth of my being: I am not enough. I am not enough to handle trials and triumphs on my own. I am not enough to conquer my enemies and control my demons. I am not enough to provide and protect and prolong and proclaim the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of those entrusted to me. Nor myself. I am not enough. But Jesus is. Jesus is more than enough.
     A recent meme quoted the encouraging words of Lori Deschene, author and founder of “Tiny Buddha,” an online community focused on self fulfillment. According to Deschene:

                                                             You are strong enough to handle your challenges,
                                                               Wise enough to find solutions to your problems,
                                                         And capable enough to do whatever needs to be done.
               
     That sounds wonderful. Until I realize she’s talking to me. Some days I believe I am strong or wise or capable, but most days not, at least not all three, and never all at once.
     Look at the subject of her sentence: You. The expectation, the demand, the pressure is all on the self. You can becomes you should becomes you gotta. Self help and self fulfillment sound intoxicatingly attractive, until the same old self that’s supposed to do all this heavy lifting collapses in on itself all over again.
Replace the subject and see what happens:
 
                                                              Jesus is strong enough to handle your challenges,
                                                                Wise enough to find solutions to your problems,
                                                           And capable enough to do whatever need to be done.
 
     That is exactly who He is and what He has done, and continues to do on a daily basis. He left the eternal beauty of His Father’s House to come down to ours. He lays His life down, runs into our burning buildings, risks the gunfire and takes the bullets, because you and me – we’re not enough.
               
I am not enough. Jesus is more than enough.