Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

So as I continue to press deeper in rekindling the fire and passion for Christ, God wanted me to remember that this all started with His passion for me.

The book study our Thursday group has been in for nearly a year is John Eldredge “Waking the Dead”. I can’t recommend it enough, a powerful journey into the condition of our hearts, the longing God has for restoring it, and the position and role we have in Christ.

The book is (my paraphrase) an attempt to awaken (or re-awaken) the warrior inside. You know, that man-on-fire who first came to life when the Gospel became real. A time when our faith was no longer our parent’s faith, or something “those people” had. It’s a place in the heart where the Risen Christ meets our broken soul and we realized freedom was not only possible but guaranteed if only I would believe.

The life Jesus purchased for us is at the core of everything. As I’ve longed for peace for this past several months it wasn’t that I felt God was not real, but I’d have to admit the magnitude of gratitude of what He has done for me was fading.

The Gospel had become routine. Yeah God died for me, blah blah resurrection blah new life yada yada.

If God is the source of all faith and love and our intimacy with Him begins to wane, how on earth or heaven can we ever have peace, be filled with passion, have mercy and unconditional love for our “neighbors”. Without a zeal for the message of hope, redemption and restoration in and through Christ how can we ever feel truly alive?

Faith makes us right with God and gives us undeserved privilege. 

In a season where privilege is considered a bad thing, I’d like to say it is a magnificent thing! I’d like to shout it from the rooftops.

But it is also a double-edged sword. We must first acknowledge we have privilege, revel in it, let it fill us with a gratitude that is not condescending to others whom might nott have it.  Instead we must recognize it with humility that we did nothing to earn it. God and/or circumstance outside our control selected us for privilege.

And with privilege comes a burden to use it for others. Whether through preaching, teaching, sacrificing, donating, coming alongside others with every means and resource we have been given.

Privilege is not meant for us, it is meant for us to use for others.

Romans 9:4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.

 Romans 12:3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Ephesians 3:8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

1 Peter 4:16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

Huge injustices are done when yielding the power of privilege and forgetting that all privilege is undeserved. Without that indescribably critical distinction, humility becomes pride and we think we earned or deserve it and nothing could be further from the Truth of Christ and what HE did for us.

Father God I thank You and You alone for the privilege of having access and opportunity to study and reflect upon Your Word this morning. I thank You and You alone for the faith and desire to even do so. May the message of humility predicate any favor that I receive this day, that even the faith that I have is from You and You alone. None of this life is about me or even for me. May You and You alone receive glory and praise and may my life be a poured out offering testifying to the Good Works you are doing in my life. Thank you Jesus, it is in Your name I pray this morning…