Lavished

“In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.”  Ephesians 1:7-8a

Have you taken the time lately to ponder the amazing truth of redemption? Whether you have been following Christ for 30 years or 30 minutes, it is equally awe-inspiring, humbling, and miraculous that God has forgiven you. And, if you have never placed your faith in Christ’s death and resurrection on your behalf…if you have never acknowledged the fact that you are a sinner and He is the only Savior, I beg you to do so now. In Christ, we have redemption!

What is redemption? In Christian circles, we use words like redemption, grace, and forgiveness so regularly that I fear they may have lost their impact. Such words should cause us to take pause. They should serve as a reminder of what Christ has done for us, what He is doing in us, and what lies ahead for us. These words should help to spur us on towards holiness.

Redemption means that we have literally been bought back from hell. Paul writes in Ephesians that God lavished the riches of His grace on us through Christ’s blood. Lavished with grace. He didn’t just give us some grace; He has given us the riches of His grace.

In Christ, God opened up the storehouses and poured it all out. Our Creator – who owes us nothing – chose to lavish His grace upon us. How can we ever get over such a mystery? How can we grow numb to such grace? How can we chase after anything or anyone but Him? And yet, we do. If we aren’t careful, we get used to His grace and begin to take it for granted.

So I ask you again: Have you taken the time lately to ponder the amazing truth of redemption? If not, I would encourage you to do so now. Think about all that God has done and is doing for you in Christ. Meditate on the truth that He has lavished the riches of His grace on you. And once you have returned to that place of awe and humble adoration, don’t keep this wealth of grace to yourself…share it with someone who needs to know this magnificent Savior.

Father, I am humbled by the truth that You have lavished Your grace on me, forgiving all of my sins. Please forgive me for the times when I take Your kindness for granted. Keep me ever aware of the treasure that is mine in Your Son. In Jesus’ name, amen.