What Jesus Christ Does for Me

He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog . . . He put a new song in my mouth . . . Psalms 40:2-3

Because I write most often about my responsibility in my recovery and faith, I might mistakenly give the impression that I think I do this all on my own. Today’s passage then, is a reminder of what it is that Jesus Christ does for me.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction. I have no doubt that God orchestrated the consequences of my addiction that led me to confession, repentance and treatment. You may say that those were consequences that would have happened to anyone. To this, I would say, Yes, that is how God made the world. When I sow the seeds of my own flesh, I reap destruction. This is how God shapes me and saves me from myself.

He put a new song in my mouth. When Christ died on the cross, He paid the debt of my guilt and sin, forgiving me and restoring me to God. In doing so, He gave me a new spirit life and set me free from slavery to my flesh life. Instead of being stuck with the old, destructive song, he has given me a new one.

In Jesus Christ, I now know the freedom to sing that new song, but He does not force me to do so. Freedom implies that I can go back to the old song if I want. If I desire, I can climb back into the miry pit out of which He pulled me. I’ve made the mistake of believing that following Christ meant I couldn’t fail or that the old flesh nature was gone. Not true. I still struggle. Now though, I have the freedom to daily follow the only adequate solution to my life’s struggles.

As I follow –  and I don’t do it perfectly – Christ transforms my mind and my desires. This doesn’t happen all at once. It’s a process that will last a lifetime. It is however, a beautiful new song that daily saves me from myself.