THE NEXT VERSE is illuminating: “that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7). The central thing in Christ Jesus is grace. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. He was full of grace and truth. Others brought truth but no grace. Others still brought grace but no truth. The two came together in Him—His grace was truthful; His truth was gracious. Grace can be defined verbally as unmerited favor, but vitally grace can only be defined as Jesus. There we see grace—the Word of grace become flesh. Looking at Him as grace we see the most beautiful thing ever seen on our planet.
Nothing more beautiful will evolve upon this planet: “in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace.” In the unfolding drama of the meaning of creation neither wisdom, nor knowledge, nor power, nor authority, nor goodness will seem to be the thing most precious and wondered at—that thing will be grace. Grace is love applied to the loveless, applied to the least deserving, applied to the positively sinful, applied to the prodigal. Grace is love with open arms. Grace is love with tears upon its cheeks saying, “Come home.”
This grace is immeasurable. All our love is measurable; we love the lovable, the deserving, those who love us in return. But here grace shows love as immeasurable. There are no limits; no matter what you have done, or have been, no matter what you are, grace has open arms, gives you a new start, opens the door to boundless development. God will have nothing more beautiful to show in the ages to come than the products of His grace. God, who owns everything, will have nothing richer to show the ages than to show us—the immeasurable riches of His grace. We will be the showpiece of God’s riches. He will have nothing more precious to show, and there is nothing God will have more satisfaction in showing.
O Father, we begin to see the meaning of the unfolding purpose of creation—it is re-creation. The redeeming of us who spoiled Thy first creation. Thou hast put together the shattered pieces and art building a temple to grace. We Thank Thee. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Across all my accomplishments “grace” shall be written.
