Making Lists

I am the queen of lists.
You can expect to see a few post-it notes on my kitchen cabinet.
There is something so freeing about pulling a post-it note off, knowing the list got done.
I will usually have a 3×5 card with me when I run errands to make sure nothing is forgotten.

A list is a good thing but it should not be a ruling thing.
If something comes up in my day and the list does not get done, that is fine.
The list can wait until tomorrow.
However, making lists and trying to finish lists keep me organized.

I have a magnetic notepad on the side of my refrigerator.
That is where I make my grocery list.
As I run out of something, it goes on the list.
That list goes with me to the grocery store.

Whenever we have a picnic or a party the list is quite long.
Then and only then, I will check off the items on my list.
Shopping for special events is not my ordinary shopping.
I want to make sure no ingredient is forgotten for the recipes I am making.

My husband always says that I should put my list in my phone.
I am a pen and paper kind of person.
There is something about writing the list.
There is something about having the list in my hand.

Even when I teach Bible study, I write all my notes by hand first on a legal size tablet.
Then, I type the notes for the women.
Writing and then typing the notes really gets the notes in my head.
It is the same with the grocery list: writing it first keeps it fresh in my mind.

I do mental gymnastics throughout my day.
I will mentally recite all the cell phone numbers of my family in my head.
They are easily accessed in my favorites list on my phone.
However, I like to know that their numbers are right there in my head if I need them.

As I was putting my shopping cart back in the parking lot, I saw a list.
It was stuck in the seat of a shopping cart.
Someone must have referred to it while they were shopping.
There it was, tucked down in the seat where it must have fallen.

I did not remove it.
I did not read it.
However, I did notice one thing.
Things were checked off the list, much like I do when we are having guests.

Great minds think alike, I said to myself as I put my cart with the others.
I wondered if this person routinely makes lists.
I wondered if this person consistently checks things off the list they make.
I will never know for sure.

I got in my car and drove away and thought about lists.
I thought about the lists we make when we want God to know how good we are.
See what I have done for You? We say, as we list our good deeds for Him to see.
See how many things I accomplished for You? We remind Him, pointing.

We have this spiritual clipboard that holds our precious list.
We check off items that we think will really impress Him.
We feel good about ourselves.
We can see by the many checks just how good we really are.

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.  All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.  (Romans 3:10-12)

We do not understand that it is never about our lists.
It is never about the check marks next to items that are meant to impress God.
No list is good enough because none of us are righteous.
Even the most philanthropic thing we do has sinful motives underneath.

We bristle and we disagree at the thought.
Even when we want to help others, there is a bit of ego and a bit of pride involved.
Even when we want to do good, we wonder if anyone notices.
We can deny it, but even if we did that only one time, there is sin under our good works.

There is One who never sinned.
There is One who never kept any lists.
There is One whose motives were completely pure.
There is One who never needed a spiritual clipboard.

God the Father sent His Son, Jesus, to earth in the fullness of time.
Jesus lived a sinless life: no impure thoughts, no false motives, no ego, and no pride.
Jesus did what we can never do.
Jesus’ righteousness is transferred to us when we trust in Him alone for our salvation.

When God the Father raised Jesus from the dead, the wrath of God was satisfied.
Jesus, the Lamb of God, did away with clipboards and lists forever.
We can never measure up to God’s standards but, Jesus, who died in our place did.
No need for lists, check marks, or comparing our good works with someone else.

It is finished, was Jesus’ cry.
List making is finished.
Trying to measure up is finished.
Trusting in our good works is finished.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8,9)

Grace through faith.
It is not about our good works.
We have nothing to do with our salvation.
Jesus did it all.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, that we no longer have to make our lists to impress God the Father. Nothing we can ever do on our own would be enough to meet God’s holy standards. Thank you that You accomplished it all perfectly. Because of You, we can tear up our lists and throw away our clipboards. We are saved by trusting in You alone. In Your precious name, Jesus. Amen.