To him who is able to keep you from stumbling
and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. Jude 24–25
Heavenly Father, lingering in this passage, during this season of in-home isolation, encourages and inflames my heart. It takes death seriously, but the Gospel even more so. We’re all appointed to die (sobering), and we’ll all freely offered eternal life through Jesus (gladdening).
What grand assurance we enjoy, as those who trust in the finished work of Jesus. As hard as it is to imagine, one Day you will present each of your children before your glorious presence “without fault and with great joy”—zero guilt and full felicity; no condemnation, just eternal celebration. Hallelujah!
Whether it’s through this pandemic, dying in our sleep at age 99, by a freak “accident,” or some other expression of your sovereignty, we are so grateful to say: Jesus is our righteousness and heaven holds our citizenship. Your peace is our anchor and your joy is our strength.
The most important grasp in life is your grasp of us, not our grasp of you; and yours is the grip of grace. As Jude states, you will keep us from falling away from you. And when we falter, fall, and fail, you will always pick us up. Thank you, Father—a gazillion times over.
With myriads of angels and countless believers we proclaim on this April Friday, “to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ grace-full and glorious name.
