It Is NOT About Me

I still clearly remember when my dad bought a rusted-out 1914 Model T Ford Touring sitting in a farmer’s tree grove.  Many parts were missing but to him it was a treasure.  He then set out to take the body off the frame as well as locate and purchase the missing brass sidelights, headlamps, radiator and all the other missing parts.  He invested a great deal of his spare time and money he could scrounge up restoring that car.  He took me with him to pick up the parts as well as sand the rust off the parts we did have.  He did not do all that because of the value of the car nor because of me.  He invested in that car because of the dream he had in his mind of how it would look and feel like to drive when it was finished.  He was so proud of that antique car when it was finished.  He had to show anyone who came to our house, take friends for a ride in it and drive it in parades.  You might say the finished product was his inheritance related to all he (and I) invested in it.

In a recent quiet time with God, I was reflecting on the prayer Paul recorded for the believers at Ephesus, Laodicea and other surrounding communities where it would be read, as well as for you and I today.  The part of the prayer that captured my attention were the words, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:18, ESV)  Given our predisposition to interpret the Bible to be all about us, we typically interpret these words to mean Paul wanted all believers to be able to grasp the hope to which God has called us, that being our glorious eternal inheritance as believers.  Certainly, this is partially true but only in an incidental way.  The more crucial thing this is saying is, like my dad investing so much in that 1914 Model T Ford, God has been investing to restore each of us because of His dream of His own glorious inheritance.  As Paul wrote when describing how husbands should love their wife, For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her TO HIMSELF as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault (Ephesians 5:25-27, NLT2). 

Please understand, each of us is a VERY PRIVILEGED person, a trophy of God’s workmanship, shaped to be able to do the work He purposed for each of us to do (Eph. 2:10).  But all that He is doing in and through us is NOT just to give us a sense of comfort, pleasure or elevated ego.  Paul clarifies the real reason by declaring So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:7, NLT2). 

When I look at myself as the rusted out 1914 Model T Ford and God restoring me to the beauty He had designed me to be in order to bring honor and praise to Himself, it deeply humbles, encourages as well as challenges me.  Our God wants each of us to grow up to the measure of the full stature of Christ (Eph. 4:13).  If I am lollygagging, caught up with myself and my circumstances, I will never reach Christ’s full stature and be an example of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness He has shown me.  That thought compels me to dismiss my disappointments, discomfort, disappointments in Him not doing for me what I want done; and press on to the mark of full spiritual maturity of loving Him as Jesus so incredibly modeled in His love for His Father.  That is my personal life goal.  What is your goal in life?  Consider with me what the Spirit might be saying is the next step you might need to take in order to bring God great pleasure when exhibiting His craftmanship in your life.  A believer’s life is all about glorifying our incredible King.

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