My son’s senior year of baseball (and school) is upon us, and after a recent scrimmage my husband and I were holding a “debriefing” of the game and preparing for the next one (because that’s what parents do). We were peppering the boy with ALL the important questions- “What do you think the coach will do? Should you make it known that you can play third as well as first and DH? Do you think he’s not playing you more because…? After several rounds of question and answer, our son quickly tired of the conversation and simply said: “The game situation is not under my control. It’s all up to the coach and it’s not worth worrying about. I can’t affect the situation. I’m just going to put on my uniform and show up”.
What a great attitude and what a freeing mind set. And it translates nicely to faith. Sometimes we wonder if we are trying hard enough and if we are doing enough to be in God’s “good graces”. We wonder if we are actually doing enough to earn salvation and eternal life. And the answer is always no. None of those things happen by trying or by works. It’s only by grace and through faith.
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is THE GIFT of God-not by works, so that no one can boast”. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) (Emphasis mine)
For some people this is a difficult concept to take hold of and understandably so. It’s not how most things work here on earth. We have been part of an action equals reward system for our entire lives. You do good, you get rewarded, you do bad, and you get punished (or at the very least don’t get rewarded). So, this gift freely given by grace through faith is a foreign concept. For all you visual learners, here’s how it looks in my head: [Grace] ~Faith. You can bookend grace-nothing before, nothing after, and all encompassing. But the faith is fluid and ever flowing, with a beginning but no end. By grace through faith. You mean there’s nothing I can do to earn it? That’s what I mean. You mean it’s a gift? That’s what I mean. You mean I can have it today if I just show up and believe in Jesus Christ as God’s One and Only Son who was crucified for my sins and rose again the third day? That’s exactly what I mean.
“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
And what is the joy set before him? YOU are.
As we approach the season where we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and all He did for us on a hill far away, it is my prayer that you will know you are accepted and loved, and you will feel grateful and free. Loved by God the Father and loved by His only begotten son whose broken and bleeding body was testimony to that love and whose resurrected body was testimony to the One who sent Him.
We can’t save ourselves friends, but Jesus can, Jesus did, and Jesus does. All we need to do is show up and believe. By grace and through faith.
*For more devos by this author visit lisagallimore.com