God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Eph. 2:6-7
Heavenly Father, my heart is still aglow with the wonder and joy of this past Easter Sunday, maybe one of my favorites ever. “The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!” I cannot hear and affirm this good news too much. Jesus’ resurrection is the ultimate “game changer.” Everything is different because Jesus is no longer dead, everything.
And as this Scripture reminds me, you not only raised Jesus from the dead on Easter Sunday, but you raised up all your children in him, including me. We’re already seated with Jesus in the heavenly realms, no longer cemented to the earthly way of seeing people and doing things. Though we await the resurrection of our bodies, we’ve already been raised to newness of life. The saints in heaven are more happy than we are, but they are no more secure, justified or beloved. The implications of this good news are multiple and staggering.
But the one implication that stands out to me to today is this: According to your Word—according to this very passage, all this day long and throughout eternity —no matter what I do or don’t do, you are committed to showing me the incomparable riches of your grace and your limitless kindness towards me in Jesus. That’s just flat-out, over-the-top incredibly good news. I do believe it, but not nearly as much as you intend. You haven’t just raised me by grace, but for grace. Grace upon grace upon grace upon grace!
Father, thank you for being so tenaciously compassionate and kind with me. It was the riches of your kindness, tolerance, and patience that led me to repent in the first place, and that lead me to repent in this very moment… especially of my unbelief. Right now, under the liberating conviction of your Spirit—right now, with palms up I surrender to your grace and kindness.
You will give me all the grace I need to do anything you ask of me today. You will give me all the kindness I need to be kind to the people you will bring to me. You will give me all the mercy I need to be present in the moment and not anxious about the next thing on today’s schedule. You will give me all the love I need to love other broken and complex people, just like me. You will give me all the power I need to boast in my weakness and in Jesus’ cross all day long.
At the end of today, you will prove to have been the God who, yet again. worked in all things for my good and for your glory—the Father who worked all things together after the counsel of your perfect will. O so very Hallelujah, and O so very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ centering and freeing name.
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