The Bible tells us the beauty of God’s glory. It tells us the amazing things He has done to Create and care for the world, to redeem the world from sin and death and to bring us to hear and believe in Him. Faith in God is bold, even audacious. When you hear of the glorious work God has done, faith says, “He did that for me!” For me? Yes, for me!
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13
God exists. God has done many great things. He has created the world. He sustains it every day. He has redeemed the world by the cross and resurrection. He causes people to hear and believe. He restrains the devil and evil in the world. He gives blessings beyond numbering. God loves and loves and loves the world. It is one thing to know that God has done all these things for “the world.” But it is another thing altogether to know that God has done them “for me.”
One can say God made earth and the universe, and know it is true. But that fact can be kept distant from your heart. But it is a much bigger thing to say, “God made me and provides for me every day.” For when you add, “for me” it makes His work personal. It means you have to believe that God gives His time and attention to you personally.
He cares about you, loves you, and wants to give you good things. That means His work is not far away or abstract. “For me” means you know His work is your beating heart, your breathing lungs, your blinking eyes. His work is evident in the words on your lips, thoughts in your mind, clothes on your back, shoes on your feet, and food in your tummy. His work is a complex interaction of events beyond your knowing that keep you safe in your bed, in your car, at work, and throughout life. His work is in helping you through hard times when they do come, so that you trust Him through thick and thin.
God the Father made you and provides for you, but there is more to the story. “For me” plays an important role in helping you know the work of God the Son too. Jesus was not just born for the world, He was born “for me”. He taught for me. He did miracles for me. He died for me. He rose for me. He ascended to heaven for me. He is watching over me. He is going to come back for me. He is preparing a place in heaven for me. All the great events of His life were done not only for the world but “for me”. The greatest knowledge of all is that He gives forgiveness of sins “for me”. “For me” makes it personal. It means you trust Him. It means that you trust Him to take care of you in this life and for all eternity.
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
God the Father made you and Jesus (God the Son) won forgiveness and eternal life for you, but there is more to the story. God, the Holy Spirit seeks you out and causes you to hear and believe that God does all these things not just for the world but for you too. Faith means that you know the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible to be written, “for me.” The Good News about Jesus is preached for me. The new birth into Christ in Baptism is for me. The blessings of being drawn to believe in Jesus, now and throughout this life are gifts of the Holy Spirit for me, as is faith in Jesus at the moment of death. These are gifts for me.
“For me” means that what you know about God from the Bible is not far away and distant. “For me” means it is close and personal and yours. God is now not some impersonal force or a distant being. “For me”means that you understand and believe that God is “My Father, My Savior and My Holy Spirit.” God has given Himself to you, so that you could be His own. Would God really do that just for you??? Answer: “YES! He did it for me!”
The fact that God did all of this for you should not give you a big head. You didn’t deserve these things because you are a good person. In fact, your sin against God made you worthy to be judged and condemned. But God’s love for you is so great that He would not let you go. Even though you know you don’t deserve it, faith still says boldly, “for me!” How do you know? God said so.
What can you possibly say to all this? This great glory of God, this powerful love, this saving grace given to you in Christ Jesus? Dear friend, I suggest you tell Him, “thank you.” Thank you, God, for doing all of this for me!
Let us bless the Lord! Thanks be to God!
In Christ,