Are We There Yet
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession who are zealous for good works.” Titus 2:11-14
INSIGHT
I love road trips. They are not for everyone. The wear and tear of being in a car can be exhausting, but I am all for it. I have playlists for every occasion. I sing loud and animated the entire time. I love to go inside gas stations like I have all the money in the world and buy junk to get me to my destination. According to my parents, I was the same way as a young lad exploring the world. We went on 10+ hour-long journeys and I would make the most of every moment in the car. But before I came to enjoy the rides, I was one of the worst at asking the infamous question, “Are we there yet?” Looking back, it is crazy that I could be so impatient in the journey, even though I knew the destination!
As I am maturing and growing, I am discovering how all of us struggle with the same reality. We struggle with patience in this journey of life even though we know the destination. We always want to be further along than where we are. Your definition of the destination can be different than someone else's, but for those of us who are Christ-followers, our destination is eternity with our Savior. What a day that will be! In the meantime though, life has a way of stirring up impatience in us. We ask, “Are we there yet?”
How can we not ask that sometimes? We look at the events in the world, the way people are being treated, and the hopelessness we see others go through, and something inside of us wonders, “When will it stop?” What we find is that our ability to be patient refocuses us on the destination. No matter what comes at us in life, we can take a breath and remember that our destination is fixed.
Paul is taking a moment in his letter to Titus to remind him of truths to cling to when life is overwhelming. Paul begins this section with one of the most important starting points for all of us: the grace of God. God’s grace is the reason you, me, and everyone in this world has a destination. His grace allows us the chance to wait for the appearing of our Savior. His grace is too powerful to leave us just the way we are.
We are called by our Savior to learn how to live in a way that is self-controlled, upright, and godly. All of those marks in life create a high bar. Without God’s grace, we could not live a life of self-control or uprightness. As we fall deeper into His grace, we fall deeper in love with Jesus.
One of the resounding themes of the Scriptures is how grace is an undeserved, unmerited gift from God. A gift that is impossible to earn, and impossible to find the end of. His grace never runs out on us. Throughout the narratives of the Bible, we see regular people doing incredible works because, despite their shortcomings, they received grace. As a result of the grace they received, they stepped into what God had planned for them.
When we step into God’s inspired words, we are reminded that the same is true for us. Every decision of obedience we make refines us into being a reflection of Jesus. Ultimately, as we spend time reading the accounts of Scripture, we are walking closer with Jesus and learning to take on His heart. With every step, we get closer to our destination. Every moment we get with Jesus helps to make us patient on our journey.
REFLECTION
Do you ever feel impatient with life?
Carve some time every day to read about Jesus’ grace for you, to help remind yourself of the love He has for you.
PRAYER
Father, thank you for such kindness, mercy, love, grace, and patience. It is underserved that You allow me to experience You so fully and intimately. As I spend time learning about You and growing closer to You, may that time shape me into Your reflection. May I spend each day resting in the grace You have poured out for me. May I have the patience for this journey of life. I love You Father, and pray all of this in Your mighty name, Amen.
Port City writer Davy Nance wrote today’s devotional.
