Grace That Claims Us as God’s Own
Read Isaiah 43:1-2 “But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.’”
Self-worth is a fascinating thing. It’s frustrating how often our natural tendency is to seek it in what we do. It’s so easy to be tempted to tie our worth to our finances, careers, or the quality of our relationships—as a friend, spouse, child, or parent.
For me, growing up—and still at times as an adult—I felt that self-worth had to be earned. I grew up in a small, traditional church, where being a Christian was more about what you did than who you were. Self-worth had to be earned. I looked at my sin and was overwhelmed knowing that I could never do enough to earn it.
Isaiah was tasked with being God’s mouthpiece to Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. He had to address Judah’s sin while pointing them to the future restoration God had promised. Isaiah 43 focuses on God’s grace. Judah wasn’t in a position to earn anything. They were deeply entangled in idolatry and rebellion against God’s commands. And now, facing the threat of Assyria, I can only imagine the fear they must have felt. What ground did they have to stand on based on their own works? None.
But God reminds them why they are worthy. In verse 1, He points them back to their relationship with Him: He is their Creator, and they are His creation. He had redeemed them. Being a child of God is about who we are because of what God has done, not what we have done. God’s words here are like a father comforting his child—reminding them in their fear that nothing will separate them. They are loved, they are His, they have been redeemed by unmerited grace.
Each of us has been redeemed by that same unmerited grace—so great it changes our eternity and our very identity. A grace we could never earn and therefore can never lose. Our self-worth doesn’t rise and fall based on how we’ve done at work, in school, as a parent, as our parent’s child, or as a spouse. From the moment we put our faith in Jesus, we are worthy because we have been redeemed by the unmerited grace of the Creator of the universe.
For me, growing up—and still at times as an adult—I felt that self-worth had to be earned. I grew up in a small, traditional church, where being a Christian was more about what you did than who you were. Self-worth had to be earned. I looked at my sin and was overwhelmed knowing that I could never do enough to earn it.
Isaiah was tasked with being God’s mouthpiece to Judah, the southern kingdom of Israel. He had to address Judah’s sin while pointing them to the future restoration God had promised. Isaiah 43 focuses on God’s grace. Judah wasn’t in a position to earn anything. They were deeply entangled in idolatry and rebellion against God’s commands. And now, facing the threat of Assyria, I can only imagine the fear they must have felt. What ground did they have to stand on based on their own works? None.
But God reminds them why they are worthy. In verse 1, He points them back to their relationship with Him: He is their Creator, and they are His creation. He had redeemed them. Being a child of God is about who we are because of what God has done, not what we have done. God’s words here are like a father comforting his child—reminding them in their fear that nothing will separate them. They are loved, they are His, they have been redeemed by unmerited grace.
Each of us has been redeemed by that same unmerited grace—so great it changes our eternity and our very identity. A grace we could never earn and therefore can never lose. Our self-worth doesn’t rise and fall based on how we’ve done at work, in school, as a parent, as our parent’s child, or as a spouse. From the moment we put our faith in Jesus, we are worthy because we have been redeemed by the unmerited grace of the Creator of the universe.
Reflection Questions:
- Where are you tempted to tie your self-worth to your achievements or performance rather than resting in your identity as a redeemed child of God?
- When fear or pressure overwhelms you, how can you remember God’s promise that He is with you in the deep waters and the fires of life (Isaiah 43:2)?
- What would it look like for you to live each day with the unshakable confidence that you am loved, redeemed, and precious in God’s sight—regardless of how you perform? What would it communicate to the people around you that you love?
Posted in Free- by the Grace of God
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