Before and After Pix with Jesus

Don’t we all love before and after shots. My favorite version of before and after are home renovation shows on HGTV. It’s what I binge watch in bad weather while I use the treadmill. And, I confess, sometimes I fast forward to get past the ugly pictures of the house before the amazing transformation at the end of the show. That’s the payoff after all, what we’re waiting for, the after pic.

This week my pastor, Steve Behlke of Grace United in Northampton, MA, preached on the following passage.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

1Peter 2:9 (NIV)

Then he challenged us to describe what it looks like to be called out of darkness into his marvelous light—a kind of before and after pic with and without Jesus that shows the payoff of trusting Him with your life.

Personally, I can sum it up in two words: shame and grace.

If that sounds a little churchy, let me be more specific.

For years, actually decades, even after I was “saved” at age 29, I still identified myself with my sins as a stupid high school girl who should have known better, as a college girl who thought she was too smart for God, and finally as a young, insecure wife ready to betray her faithful husband. That’s shame, the before shot.

The after shot was the relentless revelation that trusting Jesus’ death wiped out the score against me and gave me a new identity under his name. As a Christ– ian, I am holy, chosen, and beloved (Col. 3:12). That’s grace. The incredulous relief, that I’m not that girl anymore! In fact, I’m not anything I do. I’m who God loves. That’s the payoff!

I’m unchained from my sin, past, present, and future.

I’m no longer confused about my self-worth. It’s rock solid.

I’m no longer pointed towards sinful dead ends, but towards an awesome eternity.

I’m accepted without having to perform or prove myself?

I don’t have to compare myself to others. God has a plan just for me.

I have a place to belong in the family of God. I am never alone.

I can relax and be real, free to love others and not condemn myself.

This may seem petty and ironic, but sisters, pushing 70, I finally feel pretty enough, and smart enough because I don’t have to be perfect.

I have more than enough to accomplish any and everything the Lord intends to do with and through imperfect me as I trust and obey him.

Sounds pretty lofty I know, and at times, I confess all this comes crashing down. I can be a worried mom, a selfish wife, a bad friend, a judgmental observer, even a doubting believer. But here’s the thing, we can never blow it with God because of who he is, not who we are.

One of my favorite shows on HGTV is called “Rehab Addict,” filmed in Detroit, a rust-belt city full of neglected, often abandoned properties in such bad shape no one else would think they’re worth the purchase price. Maybe Rehab Addict is a good nickname for God because he comes to us in our dark disrepair, and loves us enough to take us down to the studs, rip off our rotten roof, the stubborn wallpaper, and replace our sagging foundation with Jesus the living corner stone.

And even when he discovers our old wiring has to be replaced, or our furnace is no good, he keeps on working, day after day, moment by moment, sticking with us, building, building until the end of the show when our total transformation is revealed. This is what it looks like for me to be called out of darkness into his marvelous light. What does it look like for you?

“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you– from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.

1 Peter 2:9 (MSG)

If you want to hear more of what I mean, check out this interview with me and my pastor.

And above all, I hope grace frees you as it has me.

Cover photo by Chris Grafton on Unsplash