Nothing in My Hands I Bring

 

I can do nothing apart from Jesus. 

Go ahead and read that again, dear friend. 

It is the refrain in my mind this morning as I sit in a study room and process some reading for class as well as just current life circumstances. The Lord is continuing to draw out areas of my heart that I seek to control and keep from Him. Things I want to control, ways I want to perform. All so that I feel secure and safe. 

But I can do nothing apart from Jesus. 

That is what we are told in John 15 when Jesus instructs His followers to abide in Him. We abide because He is our source, our very life. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. 

Can I get painfully honest for a moment? 

I try to create my own vine. I go to my own sources and strength in order to try to build a life that is safe and secure and pleasing to the Lord. I try to earn His favor and do things the right way. I strive for perfect obedience (all in my own strength) in order to feel good and strong. 

But that is so not the gospel. 

And it is the complete opposite of what we are called to in John 15. 

Jesus calls us to rest in His all-sufficiency. Nothing in our hands can we bring. No efforts of righteousness. No deeds or strivings in our own strength. Just cling to Him, the true Vine. 

Now let's pause for a moment and be clear– this clinging will result in righteousness and good deeds. It will lead to loving our brothers and sisters out of true godly, self-sacrificial love and servitude. But may we so importantly remember it will be utterly fueled and strengthened by Jesus alone. Not any efforts of our own. We just can't. And it is idolatrous to think we can in our own strength. 

Okay, rewind. Back to only clinging to the vine. 

You know what happens when you cling to something? 

You can't hold on to anything else. 

To cling to the Vine means we must let go of anything else we are clinging to. We must forsake those things we look to for security and strength apart from Jesus. 

That's hard. But also so so good. 

            What are you clinging to today apart from the all-sufficient, loving presence of Christ? 

Your job? Your family? Your location? Your identity in your schoolwork? Friends? Physical possessions? 

We are called to a life of abiding, a life of clinging to Christ. And our hands can only truly cling to one thing. We just don't have room to fit anything else in our small, finite hands. 

May we choose Christ. May He faithfully and lovingly strip our hands of any and all that keeps us from truly resting in Him as our source of life and righteousness. 

For Him to do otherwise would actually be the most unloving thing– keeping us from true abundance and freedom that is found in Him alone. 

May we be people that truly sing "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling."

Jesus is sufficient. I am slowly learning this more and more and thankful for the rest it brings to my weary, self-righteous, striving heart. He is a good Savior indeed. I pray you know that to be true as well.