day no. 14,313: our faith doesn't save us

"it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul." - Charles Haddon Spurgeon

One of Satan's best deceptions is convincing us to focus on ourselves. Our faith is too small, our hope is too wavering, and our deeds are too few. Of course, our Accuser is correct in these assertions. Our faith is too small and our hope is too weak and wavering. But no one is saved by achieving perfect faith or steadfast hope. It is our weak faith in a strong Jesus that saves. It is our stumbling hope in a striding Jesus that comes through every time. Satan's best deception is taking the focus off of Jesus and on to ourselves. Whatever we conclude, "I'm failing," or "I'm succeeding," Satan wins because our glance is turned inward to our self instead outward and upward to Jesus. We are not saved by turning inward, we are saved by what Jesus did outside of us. He lived. He died. He was buried. He rose again. He ascended to the Father's right hand. That reality that took place outside of me and had nothing to do with me has invaded me, has breached the perimeter of my defenses and changed this enemy into His friend, this outsider into His fold, this sinner into His saint. That is what He has done and our focus must be on that. Jesus saves. Our faith doesn't save us. It connects us to the One who saves. Our hope doesn't deliver us. It connects us to our Deliverer.