October #jammed: Free Grace.
Day 298: Winning.
“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
Even those of us who have never felt the tape break on our chests get to celebrate the greatest victory of all time. The race-ending celebration if free grace for all, and no effort or striving is required. Imagine winning a marathon, having never run a mile. That’s the gravity of God’s grace through Jesus. When He died on the cross, He paid a debt that wasn’t His, for a life we don’t deserve.
“Sin came into this world, and death’s sting followed. Then sin took aim at the law and gained power over those who follow the law.” 1 Corinthians 15:56
The pages of the Old Testament are riddled with the accounts of God’s people and their attempt to keep His law. It’s impossible for any human to uphold such standards, but that’s what’s required to be in the presence of our holy God. He can’t be who He is and be in the presence of sin.
Life everlasting has victoriously swallowed death.
Hey, Death! What happened to your big win?
Hey, Death! What happened to your sting? 1 Corinthians 15:54-55
“Life everlasting” is Jesus. “Victoriously stalled death” is what He did on that cross. By looking death in the eye, He took it’s power away and replaced it with life. Grace.
He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and raised so that we might be made right with God. Romans 4:25
We haven’t been saved out of pity …we’ve been chosen out of love. Love of the Father that created us and the Son that sat there with Him as we came into existence. Of course He wanted us to be right with Him. He loves us. So He made a way for that to happen.
Much like an athlete digs deep to achieve victory, He made a way through the darkness for us to love Him back. His love never changes. It was, is, and always will be.
Father, Praise You for Jesus’ sacrifice. Thank You for giving Your Son to save us. We confess that we take the life He died to save for granted often. Bless us to appreciate the steps He’s walked out before us, and help us to follow Him unabashedly. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace!
#greatgrace17
Happy Stepping,
Megs
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