Day 13: the Undeserved With-ness of Jesus

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do. Ephesians 2:1–10

last Christmas Eve, way out here in the hilly boonies of rural Middle Tennessee, Missy and I got to experience one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen in all my fifty-six years. And I couldn’t stop thinking about those ancient shepherds as I watched it. I kept picturing it—how soon after sunset in a small, Middle Eastern village 2,000+ years ago, they went from transient, very marginalized men with a reputation for petty thievery to VIP guests at the birth of the King of all kings. They were in fact the only guests invited to gape at Glory lying in a feeding trough that night. Also, fun fact: Contrary to the message sent by darling kids wearing their parents’ bathrobes and pretend crowns dotted with fake gemstones during church Christmas pageants, the Wise Men didn’t actually show up until Jesus was a toddler because of the extreme distance they had to travel on foot from Asia to Bethlehem!

Anyway, as I found myself watching the last tendrils of pink and orange slip below the horizon, and stars beginning to appear on the dark blue velvet canvas above us, I marveled again at how God’s narrative—starting with lowly shepherds—makes it undeniably obvious that engaging with Jesus was never about our good reputation or laudable behavior. Jesus didn’t rush to take selfies with the beautiful and popular mansion-dwellers while ignoring the poor and the powerless. Or, you know, those who could only count a few family members as their Instagram followers. Those shepherds, discombobulated by a supernatural star and immortalized in Luke chapter 2 (coupled with a super-long list of other Bible characters who received God’s favor despite their considerable failures and frailty) underscore the mind-boggling truth that human connection with our Creator Redeemer is based on His compassion, not our character. I’ll never get over the heavenly equation God saw fit to make a reality: faith in Jesus’ work on our behalf + NOTHING we bring to the table to try and justify ourselves = salvation.

After we came inside to warm up by the fireplace and enjoy the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree, Missy asked why some people call Jesus Immanuel. I explained how that name was prophetically given to Him in the Old Testament and it literally means “God with us.” Then I chuckled softly over how wildly blessed we are that His “with-ness” isn’t determined by our deservedness. He is with us—shepherds to salesmen to scientists to stay-at-home moms—not because we did anything to make Him do it. But because He wants to be. Because He decided to be. Because He loves to be.

• Consider the equation: faith in Jesus’ work on our behalf + NOTHING we bring to the table to try and justify ourselves = salvation. What have you been guilty of bringing to the table to try and justify yourself with God?
• How does it encourage you that Jesus chooses to be with you because He wants to be?
• When are you most tempted to forget that God doesn’t relate to you based on your good reputation or behavior? Whose good reputation and behavior does He see when He looks at you?