O Precious Redeemer, until You came to save me, I was dead in sin because I followed the ways of the world and the rulers of darkness. I was head-strong, selfish, prideful and disobedient. I went about seeking self-pleasure, gratifying the cravings of my flesh and cultivated lustful thoughts and desires. But because of Your love, abounding mercy and tender heart, You made a way for me to come to You and receive the power to overcome sin. Because of Your willingness to suffer and die for my sake, I’ve been redeemed from the hold of my past and place in Hell. When You were raised from the dead, I was lifted out of the quagmire of foolish thinking, fleshly lusts and deadly sin. But now that I belong to You, I can experience the incomparable riches of Your grace and watch Your purpose being worked out in my life. I am now the work of Your hands, created in Your image and called to do good works. I once was far away but I have been brought near to You through the sacrifice of Your blood.
Because I am a descendant of Adam, I was born with a fallen nature. Because I made sin my master, my reward was eternal death. The unfortunate thing about my situation was that I was powerless to change my condition. The way You described it was that I was “dead in my transgressions and sins.” By uniting with You (and the perfect offering of Yourself), I’ve become “acceptable” in your sight. If I choose to reject You and Your offer of salvation, I’ve made myself an “object of Your wrath” and Hell is my destination. If I choose to accept and follow You, I no longer live under the penalty of sin and death. Through my faith in You, I stand acquitted and deemed “not guilty” before Your Father. Because of my “new birth”, I am not immune to sin and I sometimes stumble and fall. But while sin once owned me, I’m now alive to You. The drawing power of sin has faded and my yearning for You has increased.
Since I’ve been granted a pardon, two things have become clear to me: 1) I know that I will be joining You in eternity; and, 2) I’ve been empowered to lead a victorious life on earth. The victories I will experience are guaranteed by Your saving work and my belief in You. Now that I’ve experienced Your wonderful gift of salvation, all I can think to say is “thank You.” Because salvation, grace, mercy and faith are all freely given gifts, my heart is perpetually filled with gratitude, praise and joy. My gratitude motivates me to abound in kindness, love and compassion toward others. I feel obligated to offer them the kindness I did not earn either. While there is nothing I can do to earn my salvation, Your gift was given with the intent that it would result in acts of kindness. I wasn’t saved to benefit me, but I was “made alive” in order to serve You and build up Your Kingdom. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that he has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.