By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Nothing to Get Puffed Up About!

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 New International Version

While on a trip to Orlando, we found this little gecko showing off his bright throat appendage for his potential mate.  It was almost as if he was saying, “Look at me!  I am somebody really special! Pick me!”

I wonder sometimes if that is what I look like to God.  “Look at me, God!  I am so special!  I am so righteous and so wise and so learned!  I deserve a special place in heaven because I have worked so hard for you!”

How silly I must seem in my boasting!  After my Heavenly Father had mercy upon me and sent His only Son to save me from my wretched sinful condition, after He had poured out His grace upon me without any merit or worthiness in me, I turn around and boast in my sinful pride, “Look at me, I deserve special attention.”  For this is undeniably true, that it is only in the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus Christ and in the shedding of His blood upon the cross that I am worthy to stand before God at all.

As Paul says in Romans 3:27, “Where, then, is boasting?  It is excluded.”  I have nothing to boast about.  Instead, I am called to kneel before the cross of Jesus and give Him thanks and praise for His love for me.  That the Almighty God would take notice of me and while still in my sinful condition would have mercy on me, that shuts my mouth to all boasting!

Lord, please forgive me for puffing myself up and pretending that I am so righteous or deserve anything from you.  Thank you for your grace and forgiveness in Christ Jesus my Lord!  Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado