Pardon Me, But Your Frame Is Showing

Pardon Me, But Your Frame Is Showing

By Rev. James May

One of my favorite bumper stickers says, “Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven”. That sums up the life of a Christian in just about as few words as I could think of. The Bible tells us in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. Can we agree with the Apostle Paul and admit this morning that we so often fall short of being the perfect Christian? Oh how often do we fail to meet up to our own expectations; much less that of what God desires of us!

I was coming home from a board meeting yesterday when I noticed a house that was under construction. The walls of the house were up and most of the exterior had been covered so that the shape and final appearance were easily seen. But one thing really struck me as I drove past. I saw that there was an open framework still visible on the roof. It was at that moment in time that the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me and said, “Never forget that I can see your framework all of the time.” And then the thought came to me of how often our “framework” shows through when other people see us.

We can finish up the outside of this dwelling of flesh, this old house we’re living in while we are upon this earth, but there are times when the framework shows through. No matter how spiritual we think we are, or how educated we may seem, or how good we try to appear before men, there are times when that framework breaks through and then we really see what Paul says is true, that in this flesh dwells no good thing. Though we, through will power and a whole lot of prayer, try to always do that which is right, for the will to live holy and upright before God is always there, yet we find ourselves in a position that we just don’t know how to do that which we want to do most of all. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to ever reach that state of perfection. Somehow, that framework always breaks through and the will of the flesh becomes more than I can handle alone.

There are times when I walk through the halls of the church, listening and watching as God’s people interact with one another, and even here in the church, our framework begins to show through the polished exterior and white washed walls. Some of the words that are spoken, and the manner in which they are spoken along with some of the grumbling and complaining, lets our framework show through. Sometimes it’s an attitude that we have; or just the way we treat one another on occasion that lets the reality of our true framework be revealed.

Let us never forget from what we are made. Though we lay our foundation upon the rock, Jesus Christ, and though we may try to speak with the tongues of angels, yet we are ever reminded that our framework is weak and frail and subject to fall at any given moment!

King David was reminded so many times of his true framework. He was a man after God’s own heart, a man that honored God and loved God, and yet David’s framework brought him almost to the brink of destruction more than once.

What’s that framework I’m talking about? Well, if you haven’t figured it out, it’s that body of flesh that you are stuck with all of your natural life. It’s that body of flesh, and the desires of that body, that often are your biggest adversaries in trying to serve the Lord.

Psalms 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

God knows that we are but frail human flesh that is home to the eternal soul that he has placed within us. Though this body was designed from the beginning to be an eternal home for our soul, the power of sin has corrupted it so badly that it has become more like a prison cell for the soul that longs to be free and to soar in heavenly places with God.

That’s why Paul said that to live is Christ and to die is gain. If he yet lived in this mortal fleshly body, his framework was weak and frail and he was subject to fall; always having to struggle with his own desires; ever fighting to overcome the power of his own flesh that tried to keep him from experiencing the best that God had to offer. Paul was ever fighting to gain the victory over himself.