God's Grace is Wonderful

Yesterday at church Doug spoke on Colossians 1:24-29. His thoughts on Christians being persecuted were great. Christians whine about the littlest things, when we have little concept, and virtually no experience w/true persecution for our faith. We usually gripe about persecution being something like not being able to pray at the football game, or graduation ceremonies. While these things are a sign that our nation is running from God, and it's certainly true that sometimes Christians don't get fair treatment, this is nothing like real persecution that our brothers and sisters in other countries are receiving. Here is a great sight to see how we can pray for them. The question Brother Andrew was once asked was what do we as Christians in America do with verses like II Timothy 3:12. I don't have a decent answer for that, any more than he did.

But that wasn't what truly struck me yesterday. What struck me was verse 27, "God wanted to make known to those among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." This is AMAZING! Christ has chosen to live in us. He doesn't do so because we are good enough. Even the faith to believe that He can change us doesn't come from ourselves, but from Him. He doesn't even choose to abide in me because He saw something valuable in me, but simply because He values me - as I am, w/all my blemishes.

I have weaknesses. I have areas that I'm struggling in. I sin. Christ sees all of that and not only loves me anyway, but chooses to abide in me anyway. "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that this all-surpassing power is from God, and not from us." (II Cor. 4:7) I am a cracked and chipped clay jar that God chooses to use in spite of those cracks and chips. By abiding in me, He gives me hope. Not only do I have hope for eternity, that one day I will be like Him, but I also have hope for now - hope that He will never leave me alone; hope that He isn't through molding and shaping me yet; hope that He can use me even in - even because - of my weaknesses.

So "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." I will trust Christ to finish what He's started, to use me, and to glorify Himself through me, including making disciples of broken and wounded students who are running from Him, as well as caring for those under my care. In my weakness, He is made strong... though my understanding is dim, and I sometimes get frustrated w/myself, w/Him, and w/others. The beauty is that He's changing my character (slowly) so that I won't get frustrated, but, in the meantime, He continues to forgive me for not trusting Him, and use that weakness to help me communicate His glory. Our God, and His love, are amazing!