AP

Ephesians 2:4-7  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.  And 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.

How good is this!!  I once was dead in all my transgressions and sins.  In fact, I was so dead that I wasn’t even aware of being ‘dead’ in relation to the God who made me in his image.  But, instead of leaving me in this condition, without any hope of doing anything about it, because I was dead, God came to me, and by his grace alone, he made me alive!

And, as if just bringing me from death to life wasn’t enough, he has now seated me with Christ in heaven!

“A debtor to mercy alone, of covenant mercy I sing; nor fear, with your righteousness on my person and offering to bring.  …  …The work which his goodness began, the arm of his strength will complete; his promise is ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’, and never was forfeited yet.  Things future, nor things that are now, not all things below nor above can make him his purpose forego, or sever my soul from his love. … …  My name from the palms of his hands eternity will not erase; impressed on his heart it remains in marks of indelible grace.  Yes, I to the end shall endure, as sure as the promise is given; more happy, but not more secure, the glorified spirits in heaven”  (Augustus Montague Toplady).

Yes, I am a trophy, the purpose of which is to to show to a lost world the ‘incomparable riches of God’s grace, expressed in his kindness to me in Christ Jesus’.  I hope and pray and trust that this trophy isn’t going to be ever become tarnished in the cabinet (like my old soccer trophies have become) – and again, I am depending on God’s sovereign grace for this – because I want the watching world to get an accurate picture of the beauty of the one who earned this trophy by his death on the Cross and his glorious resurrection

– Bruce Christian