When you read this verse, did you say, “Huh?” or did you ask what the heck it means? Yeah, me too!
That’s when I went digging and the Amplified translation opened the door for me:
“For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ – His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing, in that though He was so very rich, yet for your sakes He became so very poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).”
Do you see? Paul was telling the believers in Corinth that he recognized their faith was growing. They were maturing. Then he lists the things that he sees them gaining understanding of: His kindness, gracious generosity, undeserved favor, and spiritual blessing. That next part though. Wow!
Jesus was so very rich! He lived in the greatest splendor, beyond what can be described. He walked on streets of purest gold that glimmers with the slightest light. His throne sparkles with gems of all kinds. He was lavished with great love and attention – worship. He was rich beyond money.
Stepping out of that to be born as a human stripped him of the place of great splendor and His position as the One to be worshipped. He did that for all of mankind, even though only some of us recognize and accept it. This is a poverty we don’t really grasp. We think in terms of have and don’t have, not soul poverty.
Let’s imagine being in the presence of God the Father, having every attribute He does. Then seeing the people we’d created choosing sin and self over righteousness, making to make a way of rescue for them by going to them as one of them, leaving everything…. E V E R Y T H I N G behind.
He did that so YOU and I could be made rich. So that we would have that life He had before stepping out of Heaven. So that we would be abundantly supplied with all we need here and in eternity.
Is anyone else shouting GLORY right now?!? The sacrifice Jesus made for us didn’t start with the beatings and the cross. It started when He stepped down from His place and position to become one of us to show us the way to Him. His sacrifice is much more than death. It is also his life here, away from there.
When we realize this, we will better understand His kindness, grace, mercy, and blessings.
Today’s challenge is simple, yet very difficult. Take some time out – 15-30 minutes. Get quiet before the Lord and begin imagining Jesus sitting on His throne in Heaven. Think about all He is and all He has. Then see Him stepping down from that throne to walk Earth as one of us. See His kindness, grace, mercy and blessings for you. Let those emotions overwhelm you for a bit, then ask God to help you retain those emotions, that understanding, and share it with others.
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
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