Devotions based on week 7 of Joy in the Journey: Grace (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 3:7-9 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
This summer our family spent time with my wife’s family in Minnesota helping her parents move from their home to a senior living apartment. While the transition went very well, one realized the difficulty of letting go of things that have memories and meaning. They would have liked to take more things, but they knew the time had come to let things go.
It’s hard for us to give up our self-reliance on our pedigree or performance before God and embrace the grace of God that covers us with certainty of a right standing with God.
But often when we give up something, it leads to something better.
When I clean up and get rid of things, I gain greater focus and peace.
When I leave one situation, I experience more people and memories.
But sometimes we just want to hold on to what we think is familiar or best.
We hold on to what we think gains standing before God…our efforts…our behavior…etc.
But when we do, we lose out on the blessing of grace, peace and joy God desires to give.
God must bring us to a point, like he did for Paul, that “I consider everything a loss…”
But it’s not a loss without a tremendous gain.
“Compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
God shifts our focus from our effort to gain fully what we were striving for: righteousness.
However it’s “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”
Our pedigree and our performance will always be imperfect.
Yet, what we gain when we give up our own efforts is a right standing with God.
Why?
God didn’t lower his standard. He still demands perfection.
God just did for us what we could not obtain on our own. He GIVES us perfection through Christ.
This is grace.
It’s not earned. It’s not deserved. It’s freely given.
Trust it. It’s yours. No strings attached.
Embrace grace. It is the only way to experience the blessing God intends!
Apply: What are you holding on to that is getting in the way of a full embracing of grace? Are you holding on to your performance? Pedigree? Do you know someone seeking peace with God? Use these verses to communicate that what we think is important and what I must do is rubbish compared to the gift of grace, joy and forgiveness that is given to us in Christ.
Prayer: Lord lead me to see all my efforts as rubbish in comparison to the righteousness that is ours by faith. Strengthen that faith and lead us to find peace that only your grace can give. AMEN.