For the last six months, God has been teaching me a lot how I stand before Him. When I approach Him, what is my attitude? What am I standing on? What do I bring to the table when I commune with Him?

A while back, I listened to the sermons from the 09SR. They were all very helpful and convicting, but the truth nugget that has continued to resound in heart is this: All I Have Is Need.

This phrase instantly connected with my heart. This is it. This is how I stand before Him. This is what I bring to the table. Whenever go I to Him in prayer, this is what I bring into His presence: NEED.

I don’t bring anything that will make God smile on me. I don’t have anyhing that makes me look good in His eyes. I am totally depraved, totally sinful, a total failure. Thus when I come before Him, I don’t have any obedience, any good fruit, any righteousness that I can credit to my name. The only thing that I can label as my own is my failure, weakness, and sin.

But this does not cause me shrink away from Him because the gospel gives me confidence. I have confidence because, even though I am the most wicked, disgraceful sinner, I stand before God in the blood and righteousness of Christ. The gospel says come to God not because of who are, but because of what Christ has done.

All I have is need. Some the most freeing words I’ve heard all year.