And raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

I have a long way to get back to God. Have you ever felt that way? Like you’ve drifted so far off the “right” track that you may never get back? Like God is some nebulous form in the distance that seems to get further and further away as you strive to get closer and closer?

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I heard someone say this exact thing, and it made me so sad for them. They were believing that listening to the “right” Christian music, doing the “right” Christian things, being the “good” Christian person, would get them back to God.

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Here’s the reality — we can NEVER do enough on our own to get close to God — we’re just too broken. BUT God…In the beginning of Ephesians Chapter 2, Paul tells us that we were DEAD, following our fleshly desires and the course of the world…BUT God…

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“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

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Do you see this? God raised us up with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…God comes to us. God lifts us up. God places us with Christ and in Christ. We don’t have to strive toward him to make this happen. We don’t have a list of do’s and do not’s to make us good enough. It is by grace that we have been saved.

Friends, if you are in Christ, you are already enough — by HIS grace — your identity is secure. By HIS grace — you are members of his family and co-heirs with Christ. By HIS grace — you are seated in the heavenly places in Christ.

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But why? Why would God do this for us — so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. God desires to show his kindness. Do you realize how precious that is? He doesn’t desire for us to strive and reach and earn his kindness — he gives it freely in Christ by grace.

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Your identity is secure no matter what your circumstances. No matter what happens around you or to you. I saw an incident happen during one of our Christmas Eve services that both broke my heart and gave me so much hope at the same time. We had a guest who I believe struggles with mental illness make very racist remarks and actions toward one of our serve team members who is black. While I didn’t see the whole thing happen, I saw this person act with grace and beauty. She quietly moved seats and continued to participate in the service. When I realized that the actions were racially motivated, I was heartbroken. I went and sat by my serve team member and just told her I was sorry that happened to her. You know what she said: “Oh, I don’t take it personally, she doesn’t even know me.” I believe she was able to say this because her identity is strong in Christ. She knows who she is IN him and WITH him. She feels the kindness of God whether people are being kind or not. THIS is what a strong identity in him will do for you — and at the same time, it showed God’s kindness — and the immeasurable riches of his grace.

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And for that first woman, who thought she had to strive and reach to get back to God, I pray she knows that simply by being IN him, she’s already WITH him. I pray that for you, as well.

Father God, daily you show me the vastness and completeness of your grace and kindness. May we all be secure in our identity in you. May we all reflect your kindness and grace. To you be the glory — in Jesus’ name ~ AMEN!