I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. (Acts 20:24)
“My life is not my own!” Without a doubt, this was my mom’s favorite saying when I was growing up, and it had two distinct and different levels of truth that she was expressing. First, she would say it — sometimes in a tone of exasperation — in the context of the demands of raising five children while running the household. But there was a far deeper message Mom was teaching us, because she loved Jesus and she knew her life was not her own. Rather, her life was the Lord’s to use as He pleased.
One of the best descriptions of this biblical truth comes from the Heidelberg Catechism, which was written in 1563. The questions and answers are organized in 52 Lord’s Days; they were originally intended to be taught on each Sunday of the year.
Lord’s Day 1
Q: What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A: That I am not my own, but belong – body and soul, in life and in death – to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil, He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
My mom knew that there was no greater comfort in life and death than to know that her life was not her own. She knew that she had been purchased by Jesus at the cost of His precious blood, shed on the cross for the forgiveness of her sins – all of her sins. She also knew that her Lord and Savior was in complete control of everything in the universe, which included everything in her life. My mom knew that no matter what was happening, Jesus was in control of every bit of it and was all working all of it together for her ultimate good. My mom loved us best by loving Jesus and living for His glory alone.
Are you living that way? Am I?
Regardless of where this message finds you today, let me encourage you to adopt my mom’s favorite saying and make it your own. Freely confess that “My life is not my own” and know the freedom and joy of living wholeheartedly for the glory of God and the good of others. This is a life that truly testifies to the Good News of God’s grace — not just daily, but moment by moment.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 