No Assembly Required

" . . . But by the grace of God I am what I am . . ." 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NASB)

Here's how my friend Mike put it tonight when we were talking about grace ("we" being our Bible study fellowship group):

"We want to attach things to grace. We think, 'It can't be that simple.'"

And then you put that kind of pharisaical thinking up against 1 Corinthians 15:10 where Paul says, "I am what I am."

And that's when you realize:

• I don't have to try to be more
• I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not
• I don't have to dress myself up in Pharsee-do-isms

I am what I am--and by grace, God accepts me.

No assembly required. I don't have to go rummaging around for any missing parts or any added spiritual doo-dads or thingamabobs to spruce myself up.

I am what I am--and by grace, God accepts me.

Just Thinking Out Loud: There's a lot of freedom for an Accidental Pharisee in 1 Corinthians 15:10. Paul was a Pharisee on purpose. A Pharisee of Pharisees. And yet he is able to say, "I am what I am"--and by grace, God accepts me.

Take that thought captive, friend--and embrace the freedom it offers.