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Editor's Note

About the author: Katelyn Wasson is a sophomore at Zionsville High School and enjoys running and singing. Katelyn has gone to ZPC since 2005 and became a member after completing the Youth Inquirers class in 2014. Her younger sister, Lauren, and her parents, Beth and Jay, are also members. She attends HSM, volunteers at VBS, and enjoys singing at worship services with other ZPC youth.

About this post: This blog post is part of a series of daily devotionals where we are exploring traditional Advent themes of waiting, mystery, redemption, and incarnation. To sign up to receive text notification of these posts, text zpc advent to 39970. Advent booklets are also available at the ZPC Welcome Center. We welcome your comments and questions each day.

Redemption | Titus 3:4-7

Think of a person you consider who does good things. It may be a peer who is always going out of his or her way to help others and take on more responsibilities in volunteer positions. Perhaps it is a friend who genuinely cares and is willing to, not only celebrate with you in the high points of your life, but also stay by your side through the rough patches where everything seems to be falling apart. It could be a classmate who excels academically and balances extracurriculars – and all the while is able to make others his or her priority.

Those that come to mind seem so far from sin. How do they have it all together? God must want people like these in his kingdom – because why would he ever want someone with as many flaws as you and me?

Thankfully for us, God’s word brings us hope:

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 
Titus 3:4-7

As it turns out, all the “good” deeds of those you brought to mind earlier pale in comparison to the good that is God. Any contribution we can offer this world is nothing compared to what God has done for us. Therefore, not one of us is better than any other.

To picture this, think of the deeds we view as “good” as if they are building blocks. The people that we see as more righteous may have hundreds of blocks stacking miles into the sky, while the outcasts of society may have a very limited stack. However, when God looks at our towers of blocks from above, he sees the same thing for each of us – only one block.

In God’s eyes, no single person is more deserving of eternal life than another. We all have faults, but these shortcomings won’t keep us from eternity because of God’s amazing gift. He sent his son to earth as a baby to save us all from the sin of this tarnished world. All that he asks of us in return is to follow the commandments he has put in place for us. He knows that we will fail, because none of us can ever reach true goodness here on Earth. He doesn’t ask for perfection - only that our hearts are in the right place, working to reflect his kingdom on Earth.

Activity

Listen to the song “Redeemed” by Big Daddy Weave. Reflect on the ways that you have fallen short and pray for forgiveness for these sins. Then rejoice in the hope that God has redeemed you!

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank for your gift of redemption! Remind us that it is this gift, and not our own deeds, that has saved us. Thank you for the hope that even though we will fail time and time again, you have a bigger plan for us. Help us to follow your commandments and bring about your will here on Earth.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen

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