Privilege

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, (Philippians 1:3 ESV)

The most wonderful story ever told is the story of redemption. It is contained in the Bible--all throughout the Bible. In fact, it can be said that redemption is the very theme of the Bible. Or, more accurately, the glory of God in redemption is the theme of the Bible. The story begins in early Genesis and climaxes at Calvary where our redemption was accomplished, where Jesus reconciled us back to himself--and creation along with us.

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, (Colossians 1:19-22 ESV)

But the story does not end there. All of the redeemed have not yet been reclaimed. Creation has yet to be renewed. All that was lost in Adam has yet to be restored. And so Christ marches on in the world through us, through his Church, commissioned to proclaim his gospel, commissioned to pass on his teaching until Christ returns. The Bible is the saga of redemption. But the story does not end with the apostles.

The saga of redemption continues.

You and I have our part in the story.

What a privilege that is! No wonder Paul is so thankful! God does not need us. God needs no one. God could certainly do his work without us. Understand that when God uses a human vessel to accomplish his purposes he is using a flawed vessel, a marred vessel, a broken vessel. When God uses us it is not because we are useful. No. When God uses us he is doing it the hard way. It would be easier (not that anything God does is hard for him, but follow me on this) for God to use anything else other than us to carry out his endeavors. That's because the whole universe obeys his voice and we don't. We are self-willed. We are sinful. 

So when God uses us, in spite of us, to carry out his work of redemption in the world we should feel like the most unworthy people who ever lived. Because we are. And yet God uses us anyway.

What a privilege! Though we have tried our best sometimes to throw our lives away and waste them on vanity and emptiness he has stooped to allow us to have our small part in the greatest work ever accomplished. He has used us to further his work of redemption.

That's how Paul feels as he sits in prison and remembers the Philippians. He thinks of them and smiles. They are tokens of God's grace toward him. Who is he that God should use him to do that?

No wonder he is thankful. No wonder he thanks God on every remembrance of them. Thank you. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus. You have given our lives meaning. You have allowed us the privilege of having a part in this great work, this great story of redemption. We will sing your praises for eternity.