It's all about Him

"To the praise of the glory of His grace by which He made us accepted in the beloved." - Ephesians 1:6 (NKJV)

What's the ultimate result of God's eternal plan of salvation? It's simple: "to the praise of the glory of His grace." When we get to heaven, we're not going to be walking around talking about how good we were or how special we were. All the praise will go right up to God.

There was a man named Robert Buckner, a Baptist preacher in the late 1800s and early 1900s who started a children's home in Dallas. Over 40 years, about 12,000 children came through his home - kids who had been rejected by their families. He was affectionately known as "Father Buckner" or "Daddy Buckner."

His custom was to bring the children in a few at a time after they were fed in the evening. He would warm up to them, show them love and attention, put them on his lap, and speak to them tenderly. But there was a little girl named Mary who was crippled in her legs and had severe scarring on her face. She wouldn't come to him.

Finally, he asked, "Mary, why won't you come to me? Don't you know I love you?" She said, "I know you love me. This is the only home I've ever known." He said, "Then why won't you let me be closer to you?" She said, "I know how I look. Who would want to be close to someone like me?"

He said, "Mary, when I look at you, I do not see your scars. I only see a child who didn't have a daddy, who didn't have a home, who needs to be loved and cared for."

We come to God broken and scarred, saying, "Who could love somebody like me?" And God is saying, "I don't even see those scars. You're in My family. I'm accepting you not because of anything you've done, but because of who I am. I made a way for you to be in My family because of what Jesus did on the cross. You're accepted in the beloved."

Reflection Question: How can you live today in a way that brings praise to the glory of God's grace rather than seeking praise for yourself?

Dear Heavenly Father, all praise belongs to You for Your amazing grace. Help me to live each day remembering that my salvation is all about Your goodness, not my own goodness. When I'm tempted to think that You love me because I'm so lovable, remind me that it's all about the glory of Your grace. Use my life to point others to You and to the incredible love You offer to everyone. In Jesus' Name, amen.

Adapted from "God's Eternal Plan" (Ephesians 1:4-6): https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/zqvqn4g/3-god-s-eternal-plan-eph-1-4-6