How not to hear “away from me I never knew you!”

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Many.

Let that word sink in a moment.

Many.

Not a few.

Not a theoretical group.

Not a hypothetical warning.

Many.

Notice how complacent they are.

Feel the pride.

They think they are in.

Prophesying. Casting out demons, mighty works.

Perhaps we could add preaching and leading.

Maybe writing a blog.

Doing things ‘in Jesus name’

Part of the ‘in crowd’

Looking terribly spiritual to others.

But not to the Lord.

No to the One who counts.

Who sees through hypocrisy.

Who examines the heart.

And says it is lacking.

Lacking what?

More activity?

No.

More success in work or ministry?

No.

More followers admiring you?

No.

More legalistic following of rules?

No.

Lacking Jesus.

Lacking knowing Him.

Lacking hearing from Him.

Lacking obedience to Him.

Lacking following Him from the heart.

Lacking a foundation.

Building impressive houses, that rest on shifting sands.

Preparing for a fall.

A fall that can come after decades of faking it.

Countless years of running on fumes.

Thinking you can make it on your own.

Fooling yourself.

Believing you are doing God a favour.

Avoiding the big sins that others notice.

But pursuing your lusts in the secret place.

Loving Money rather than your maker.

Being impatient with others less ‘impressive’ than yourself.

Dispensing pain and rejection.

Not love and acceptance.

Praying pharisee prayers.

Or not praying at all.

Reading the Bible so you can help others.

Writing impressive blog posts.

Perhaps even like this one?

Counting the likes and shares.

Mining passages for sermon ideas.

Never letting the Bible read you.

Not submitting to the Surgeon’s knife.

Being concerned about the outside.

But ignoring your own wicked, wayward heart.

Faithless to the Faithful One.

Flippant with the One who died for you.

Neglecting the One who cares for you.

Patting yourself on the back for things His grace gave you.

Congratulating yourself for achievements you didn’t earn or deserve.

Disaster strikes and you pray for once.

But do you really turn back to Him?

Success comes and with it relief.

But do you really thank Him?

Do you even believe in him any more?

Do you trust him?

Do you love him?

Do you know him?

Sinking into despair when finally you glimpse it.

You have failed Him.

You have lived for yourself.

Suddenly allowing the ‘you’ to become ‘me’.

The ‘they’ becomes ‘I’.

Finally standing alone before Him.

Or kneeling, and feeling tears about to roll.

I come for myself.

I come with my sin and my shame.

I come with my failure.

I look to You.

I empty myself of pride.

Realise I have nothing to bring.

I turn to You.

I cry out to You.

Not knowing what to say.

My heart begins to stir.

But then it wanders again.

Alarm set early.

But my bed remains inviting.

I keep my appointment with You once.

Twice.

Three times and more.

I will keep coming.

I will keep seeking.

I will keep knocking.

I will ask you to shape me.

Make me yours.

Mold my heart.

Bring this sheep back to the fold.

Don’t let me hear ‘I never knew you!’

Then it strikes me.

I may have changed but You haven’t.

And You whisper to me:

“I’m still here and I love you!

I’ve not given up on you.

I will not let you go.

You may not really know me, but I know you.”

And suddenly I realise.

It’s not about me.

Its all about Him.

It’s not me that can make a difference.

It’s knowing Him that will change me.

Like a father and child.

I come dependent and dirty.

He meets my needs, and cleans me up.

Washes me.

Purer than snow?

Yes.

Purer than snow.

Finally I admit it.

I am not worthy.

But I am loved.

I am prayed for.

And I am known.

Matthew 7:21-27

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”