“By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Eph. 2:8-9
Lord Jesus, in the annals of history, today is called “Reformation Day”—a day for remembering that, from beginning to end, our salvation is by grace alone through faith alone. When Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle, Oct. 31, 1517, you opened a door to a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It was a back-to-the-Gospel movement—a renewal that preceded Luther and continues till your return. For we all suffer from Gospel-amnesia, grace-allergies, truth-dementia, and faith-forgetfulness.
So on this Thursday Oct 31, 2024, we praise, bless, and thank you, Jesus—even as we preach the Gospel to our hearts afresh. It’s the good news that we are more needy than we realize and to admit; but also more beloved than we can hope or imagine.
Our problem wasn’t with “sowing wild oats.” Our problem was we were clueless about you, Jesus—we didn’t know, love, and worship you. We needed a new heart, not a fresh start—to become a whole new tree, not merely “turn over a new leaf.” We needed a perfect righteousness only you can give us—not a wanna-be-righteousness eked out from our promise to “do more and try harder.”
Jesus, thank you for clothing us in your righteousness—which is also our wedding garment. Thank you for exhausting our guilt, taking our shame, and breaking our chains. Today we reaffirm that our hope is built on nothing less, other, or more than you and what you accomplished for us. You saved us to the uttermost, Jesus, and we are utterly grateful, Jesus. So Very Amen.
