Leaving Beyond – Grounded In Scripture

Written by: April J. Buchanan

She, who was made in His image, was born in sin and became worthless. She stood justly condemned. Yet He, who is righteous and holy, takes what is worthless and makes it beautiful.

He removes her heart of stone and gives her a heart of flesh. He puts His Spirit within her and causes her to walk in His statutes. She is clothed in the righteousness of Christ. He justifies her. He sanctifies her. He will glorify her.

He works in her a new heart with new affections and new desires. What she once loved she now hates. What she once hated she now loves. He alone is worthy of all praise.

He gives her grace sufficient for every need. He not only commands her to walk in grace and truth, He enables her to do so. He gives both the desire and the power. And as she walks, she demonstrates that His grace is not empty words but living power at work within her. This work of grace does not make her sinless in this life, but it makes her His and steadily conforms her to His Son.

She is a bride set apart for His glory. Once she was under His just condemnation. He would have been righteous to pour out His wrath upon her. Yet He chose her. He loved her. He called her. He redeemed her. He made her His own.

He clothed her in His own righteousness. He filled her with His Spirit. He empowers her to live and walk according to His grace at work in her.

Her worth is not in who she is. Her worth is in who He is, and in what He has done. She is precious because she has been redeemed and made new.

He alone is worthy of all praise.

The reality of such holiness and worth is not that in which she boasts. She is aware of her failings and shortcomings, and that she is wholly undeserving. That in which she boasts is Him. That for which her heart longs is to please Him. What she loves, she rejoices to do. And as her heart is set upon Him, she desires all the more to live and walk worthy of the calling with which she has been called.

When her heart becomes distracted or divided, she may stumble and she may fall, but He is gracious beyond what she deserves. If she is His, she may fall, but not finally. His grace is sufficient, and her heart is broken when she sees how she has sinned against Him. She looks upon such grace, such mercy, such love, and says, “How can it be that He would set His love upon such as I?”

He gives her grace to live, to walk, and to finish well. He has set His love upon her, not because of who she is, but because of who He is. How can she not love Him?

Her worth is more precious than anything the world would offer. She is worth much because much was paid for her. Christ loves His bride.

There is no greater love. Let her heart abide in that love. As she sets her heart upon Him, she is strengthened to press on in the sufficiency of His grace and power at work in her. She will not do all perfectly, yet her heart must not fail, for His grace enables her to do all as unto Him. Her great temptation is her own heart and mind. Remember Him. Remember the grace by which you have been saved and the love set upon you. Remember your first love.