Defiantly, Unashamedly, Generously — Extend Grace Generously - Tuesday
TODAY’S VERSE
Ephesians 2:1
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins. (ESV)
About two years ago, our home gained two cute additions: a pair of kittens named Panther and Rory! Calling them part of our “household” is a bit of a stretch for multiple reasons, mainly because they were outdoor cats. Perhaps “propertyhold” is a better term.
One thing about outdoor cats is their freedom to leave your “propertyhold” whenever they choose. Sure enough, after a year of living with us, we noticed Rory would just disappear for a couple of days at a time. Then he’d reappear for a stretch and restore our two-cat home, until one day when he disappeared for good. It was hard for our kids because they missed him deeply, but there was also a glimmer of hope that he might show up again.
Before long, we started to notice an awful smell coming from under our deck, and a swarm of flies began circling around a few specific floorboards. I grabbed my drill, removed the screws from the wood, and pulled up the planks, only to be overwhelmed by the rotten smell of decay. As I peered into the dark recesses of the deck, I spotted flies gathered around gray fur. Turning to my family, I announced, “Well, I believe I’ve found Rory…”
My daughter started bawling, so my wife took the kids to a neighbor’s house to spare them from watching the removal process. Equipped with gloves, an old shovel, and a trash bag, I lifted Rory from under the deck to his final resting place. As I set him down, I was immediately startled. Part of it was sheer disgust, but mostly I was stunned by a sudden realization — this wasn’t Rory; it was a dead raccoon.
To this day, we still have no proof that Rory is actually alive. However, I knew with certainty that the corpse in front of me was not him. (Though I was really looking forward to sharing a “dead cat” story with Scott Nickell because I know he loves those!)
What I can say… that raccoon was dead. Like dead dead. It was lifeless, gross, decaying, and repulsive. It was a lot like us before the grace of God. Ephesians 2 talks about how we were absolutely dead in our sins before Jesus rescued us. Because of our sins and trespasses, we had no life. We couldn’t resuscitate ourselves by cleaning up our act or making things right. We were dead. Ready to be dug out from under the deck, put into multiple trash bags, and thrown into the dumpster.
But God. Tomorrow, we turn the page to God’s grace.
APPLICATION
Read Ephesians 2:1-7. Paul outlines the full extent of our death and God's response. Make notes on what Paul says about our human condition before we receive God’s grace, then follow up with what God has given us through grace.
PRAYER
Father, I am sinful and in desperate need of You. Without You, I am dead in my trespasses. Thank You for being a gracious God who gives me life!