As I started in verses 1 and 2 the words I read were, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked." Have you taken God's Word and read it like it is only talking to you? And I was dead in my trespasses and sins. Yes, me. Dead and lifeless in my sin- doing what seemed right to me, following the desires of my flesh, and living in disobedience. Once Adam and Eve sinned, it infected EVERYONE. When we are born, the sin nature is there, and we are unable to change ourselves. We, in our sin, are open to the just wrath of God who is holy and hates sin.
As I sat thinking of the first 3 verses of Ephesians 2, it seems pretty grim. Pretty hopeless. Pretty depressing. Who wants to be considered dead in their sin- lifeless, open to the wrath of God? But we are not left without hope. "BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved" (verses 4-5). Oh, how these verses came to life for me this morning! BUT GOD, through His great mercy and because He loves me. Did you get that? Because He loves me! Even when I was stuck in sin and lifeless, He loved me and made me alive. Yes, made me alive together with Christ. By His grace, I have been saved.
And, guess what! It doesn't end there! We are told in verse 6 that He raised us up and seated us with Him. Why? "so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (verse 7). Immeasurable means exceeding, too large, extensive, untold, and extreme to measure. God's grace is too vast to imagine, and He wants to show me the vast riches of His grace in kindness through Jesus Christ. Yes, the same Christ who died for my sins and gave me life. Oh, how my heart should sing His praises!
Only by God's grace have I been saved, and by His grace He worked to establish faith in my heart. My salvation is in no way, shape, or form because of anything that I have done. It is an amazing, truly awesome GIFT from my most gracious and loving God. In response to God's great salvation and work in my life, good works should be present, but they do not earn my salvation. God created me, He made me whole in Jesus Christ, He has a plan for me, and He has orchestrated things for me to do, "Good works are not the root of our redemption, but they are the necessary fruit" (Gospel Transformation Bible).
Wow, Lord, my mind is blown thinking about your immeasurable grace. Forgive me for taking it for granted and not appreciating it like I should. I am nothing apart from You. I am frail and so many times my faith is so weak. Thank You for loving me despite my ugliness. Thank You for working faith in me so that I can taste the riches of Your grace. Thank you that although there is nothing good in me, there is good in You; and You work some of that good through me. Help me be spiritually wide awake to do the work You have set before me. Oh, Father, thank You for GRACE!
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord.
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Grace, grace, God's grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
I pray today that you will be encouraged by focusing on the God who has bestowed upon us this amazing gift of grace because He loves YOU!
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