By Andrew Williams
Series: The Living Gospel (Week 1: Uncovering Your Narrative)
Opening Prayer
God of mercy, give me the courage to look back with honesty, not to dwell in shame, but to celebrate the greatness of Your rescue.
Today’s Scripture (NLT)
Ephesians 2:1-2
“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.”
To fully appreciate a rescue, you have to understand the danger you were in. To begin uncovering your story, you have to be honest about Chapter One. Paul doesn’t soften the language here. He says that before Christ, we were not just sick or struggling; we were “dead” in our sins. We were spiritually unresponsive to God.
He says we used to live “just like the rest of the world,” meaning our values and direction were shaped by a system opposed to God. And we were “obeying the devil,” following the inclinations and deceptions of the enemy, whether we realized it or not. This was our state: dead, conforming, and deceived.
Looking back at this is not an exercise in self-hatred. It is an exercise in gratitude. When you remember the hopelessness, the emptiness, or the bondage of your old life, it makes the grace of Jesus that much more brilliant. Acknowledging who you were is the essential first step to powerfully declaring who you now are in Him.
Disciples’ Life Tip: Take five minutes to journal or think about your life before you truly began following Jesus. What were your primary goals? What were your deepest fears? What left you feeling empty? Be honest. This is the “before” picture of your testimony.
Closing Prayer: Lord, thank You for breathing life into what was dead. I look back not with shame, but with overwhelming gratitude for Your incredible rescue. Amen.
