Ephesians 1:13
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”
I do this all the time. I disqualify myself. If you do this too, you’re not alone. I look at all my shortcomings, all my faults, my past, and the list goes on and on. It’s as if I take a magnifying glass and get real close and personal with everything on that list. As they squirm I focus in on every part of them, fully focused on what makes me “less-than.”
I seemingly let all sorts of stuff become the catalyst for my disqualification from… fill in the blank, honestly anything.
What I love about Paul though is how he addresses people like me, those who feel they don’t measure up, those who feel they don’t deserve the promises of God or think there’s no hope for them. He pretty much says, “Hey! Hey! Hey! You, in the back. Are you disqualifying yourself? Do you not think you’re enough? Let me guess, you’re letting your past define you… you’re focusing on your weakness, your sin, your short-comings… Oh, friend. You’ve got it all mixed up! Jesus’ love is so deep, even if you don’t think so today, it’s always for you. You’re included.”
I imagine being a part of the church Paul sent this letter to. I can picture myself sitting in the back, listening to the encouragement that floods from the first few sentences. Paul is reminding the church of who they are under Christ and who God is for them. I’d nod and smile and all the while that magnifying glass would be out making my issues my main focus. But verse 13 would catch my attention, it’d shock me a little.
“And you also were included…” It’s as if Paul knew there was someone who’d hear the first half and disqualify themselves. They’d nod in agreement with the truths of his words, but in the back of their minds be clenching their magnifying glass and say, “sure is nice, but there’s no way that’s for me.” It is for you! And Paul wants to make sure we don’t miss that. Paul wants to grab those magnifying glasses right out of our hands and say, “enough is enough, friend! This good news… it’s for you!”
Jesus didn’t come and die on a cross so that we might still cling to our past, focus on our failures, and ultimately disqualify ourselves from the good work he has planned. No, no, no. He came so that we may have life and life abundant. He came so we may have a second chance to grow near to the Father. He came so that you, someone with countless short-comings, doesn’t need to live hopeless in your sin. All that junk we magnify, Jesus abolishes.
Think good and hard about what you’re focusing on. It might be a mistake you made last week or a sin you struggle with daily. Maybe it’s a situation from the past you’ve already moved on from but it keeps creeping back under that magnifying glass. Whatever it is, today’s your day to release it to Jesus. Stop disqualifying yourself from the work God desires for you to participate in because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. You are clean, covered, blameless, beautiful, and full forgiven in the name of Jesus Christ. Believe it.