Welcome to today’s devotion.
I am who I am because of who I am
1 Corinthians 15:10
- Paul was a Pharisee and very successful. He was in a position where he could easily say, “I am who I am by the power of my own hands to produce the tangible results seen in my own life. Behold, if according to the law I am blameless, it is not surprising that my name is Saul, which means “great.” But by the grace of God, Saul became Paul. Paul, whose name means little, began to decrease with each revelation of grace as Jesus began to increase.
The Holy Spirit often reveals our extreme poverty in order to reveal our perfect power and sufficiency in grace. Think of Adam, covered with a sinful and false umbrella, now covered with animal skins, (which speaks of his salvation by grace). He could not say, “I am who I am by the grace of God; I am a sinner, but I am also a saint.” Abraham, you are the father of our faith, you were very special in your presentation. And you, Jacob, you too, now named as the father of all Israel, must have been very special in your presentation.
What do you want to say now?
“We are who we are by the grace of God.” Think of it, all the heavenly witnesses individually kneeling before Jesus, and saying with such clarity – “I am what you made me to be by the grace of God.” The thief on the cross will also be there. This man was never baptized, never attended a church service, never heard a sermon, and never won a life for Christ, but because of grace he did it. - Today’s reading passage: Hosea 6-8
