Unfathomable Grace

I am no one without Jesus. Just put my name on the sheet with Lucifer, Pharaoh, Judas, Herod, and Demas. Without Jesus, I am just a God-despising rebel wishing I could be rid of God’s influence so I could rule my life.

I am someone incredibly loved by Jesus. Before the beginning of time, it appears my name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. He knew me before I knew him. He loved me before I loved him. As the song goes, “My name was graven on his hands; my name was written on his heart.” For a season, he sacrificed the glory of heaven for me. For a season, he walked in my shoes and died on my cross. For a season, he was forsaken by his Father. He did this for a season, that I might experience his loving grace, mercy, adoption, union, sanctification, and glory. I am his beloved, and he is mine, and I had nothing to do with this. What wondrous love is this!

I am a work in progress under the hand of Jesus. Today, I will disappoint my self. However, more than that, I will disappoint and sin against my family and my neighbors. But worse than that, I will continue to have fleshly thoughts, make wicked decisions, walk in forbidden ways, reap sad consequences, and spurn the love of my Lover. However, no matter what I do, I cannot break the contract of love between the Father, the Son, the Spirit, and my soul. He who began a good work in me, he has not finished it, but he will complete it. So, as poor as I represent my Savior and Lord today, I can rightly assume I will represent him a tad bit better tomorrow, and the next day, and on and on it goes. Because of my new regenerated heart, I want to make progress; I will make progress; I am making progress, but woe is me! What a wretched man that I am. Thanks be to Jesus who is continually saving me from my wicked flesh.