Inspire

Devotion

 

Measuring up 

As I write this devotion reflection, there is ongoing debate around what the composition of the Australian Cricket team should be for the next test match in South Africa. There is no shortage of experts listing a range of statistics and measures to support their view of the team make up. They are evaluating who they think is good enough. By the time you read this we’ll probably know how right or wrong some of them were.  

 

Over my lifetime, I’ve really noticed a stronger focus on KPIs and performance indicators. If they are the right ones, they are extremely valuable and necessary to ensure an individual, a community or an organisation is on the right track. They provide accountability for the performance, effort and choices that are made. 

 

I think the accountability and performance mindset makes the Christian belief around God’s grace hard to fathom, and even harder to accept personally, when you are used to having to prove yourself and measure up.  

 

God flips the whole thing and that’s what Christians focus on this weekend when they celebrate ‘The reformation’. 509 years ago, Martin Luther shifted the thinking of Christians when he came to understand that it is God who first chooses to love us, just as we are. God doesn’t wait until we have achieved a list of actions or proved we are good enough to deserve his love and forgiveness.  

 

Rather, Christians believe when we stop and allow God’s undeserved love to fill our lives, we slowly begin changing into people that are able to love others more.  

 

As a Christian, I find it so freeing and empowering to know God always love me and always will. He is always there for me and always will be. It’s his free gift for me. And it is yours as well, no questions asked.  

 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8