Today’s Grace-truths: Appetizers for Heaven’s Glories

Have you seen the movie Overcomer? The main character, Hannah, is challenged by her school principal to find the truths about herself in Ephesians 1. This becomes a life-changing exercise as she realizes what God says about her.

The old lies she has believed about who she is and her value slip away as Hannah embraces the reality of her supreme worth to the Lord. She becomes a fierce warrior princess cross-country star, undaunted by her past and unfazed by the reigning distance champion.

What made the difference for this kleptomaniac teen with asthma and drug-addict parents who abandoned her? I believe it was a combination of people who believed in her and lovingly held her to higher standards and the Spirit of God working on her heart through Scripture.

Hannah wrote down the verses which described truths for believers and personalized them by inserting “I” or “me” for all of the third person pronouns. Let’s try this for Ephesians 1:7-13.

Ephesians verses	Personalized
7In Jesus, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace	7In Jesus, I have redemption through His blood,  I have forgiveness of my trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
8that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding	8that He lavished on me with all wisdom and understanding
9And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ	9And He has made known to me the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
10as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.	10as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.
11In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,	11In Him I was also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.	12in order that I, [as part of] the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
13And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,	13And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of my salvation—I was sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
14who is the pledge of our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.	14who is the pledge of my inheritance until the redemption of me, one of God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.

What truths can we discern from these few verses? With the list of specifics, let’s include some definitions of the words or concepts. (You may find others not mentioned.)

• I am redeemed (bought as His own at the full value, Christian salvation) in Jesus.
• I am forgiven (I don’t have to pay the penalty for my sins).
• I have the riches of Christ’s grace (abundance of His kindness and undeserved favor).
• He has lavished (poured out super-abundantly) His grace on me.
• He completely understands me and my need and acts in full wisdom to draw me to Himself.
• God is pleased to include me in His secrets and His purpose for the world.
• I am chosen by God; He thought about me and knew me before time and included me in His plan.
• I am a person who brings praise and glory to God because of my hope (trust) in Christ.
• My salvation in Christ has been sealed (identified as belonging to God, set apart for His purposes, guarded and protected) with the Holy Spirit.
• I have an inheritance (access to the full wealth of God who created everything); the Holy Spirit in me is the pledge (guarantee) that I will receive it.
• I am God’s own person, and I bring Him praise and glory.

These extravagances overwhelm me! Dare I believe that they are true–one-hundred percent and completely?

Perhaps you want to say, “I am not worthy. You don’t know what I have done or who I am.”

That is exactly the point! No one is worthy, and God knows that far better than we do!

If the God of the Universe decided in His wisdom that He could fix the problem of unworthiness by having Jesus take the punishment for our sins, die and come back to life as victor over sin and death, can we argue with that?

Then, if He declares that our belief in that amazing act of love makes us as holy and worthy as Jesus, who are we to deny the reality of His Word? After all, if God can create humans and bring the entire world into being by speaking, is He not also powerful enough to proclaim us as glorious, righteous, forgiven, and heirs of His Kingdom because we choose to believe?

Even more astounding, the text indicates this is all true of us when we believe. We are no longer what we had been, and a righteous Person and new identity energizes our being. We can walk (or run, as Hannah did) in the full assurance that all of this is ours for the taking! Our lives on earth will be dramatically changed.

It doesn’t stop there! On earth, we only see glimpses of the full reality we will experience in Heaven. There, we will be perfected into the image of Christ. Our before and after pictures will show the immense investment of Himself and bring even more glory to God’s mercy and grace than we can imagine!

It makes me want to shout out praises to God and to let these truths enliven my daily thoughts and activities. What about you?

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

Which of these truths resonate with you most? Are there some that you have trouble believing? Our Lord knows your heart and He is willing to hear your doubts.

(c) 2020 Holly Craw