🛎 Empty Hands, Full Inheritance
Only empty hands can receive fullness. Faith in Jesus receives what self-effort never could.
Devotional Credit: In Christ by E. Stanley Jones
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from E. Stanley Jones draws a bold and liberating line in the sand: the only true goodness is the life and character of Jesus Christ. Anything outside of His likeness—regardless of who performs it—is not good, no matter how noble it may seem on the surface. Jones invites us to see that Christ is not merely a moral standard but the very essence of goodness itself. The bar isn’t cultural decency or even religious sincerity—it’s Jesus.
That may sound overwhelming until we remember where the life of Christ now resides: in us. The purpose of faith is not to stir up some mystical force or generate confidence in a vague hope. Biblical faith isn't faith in faith. It is trust in a Person. It’s a yielding to Jesus, not just as Savior, but as Lord—letting Him express His character through us.
In that surrendered faith, we don’t earn goodness; we receive it. Christ Himself becomes our goodness, our righteousness, our life. The promise is vast: “that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” And that promise is more than an inheritance—it is the Person of Jesus filling every empty place with Himself.
The beauty of it all? You don’t need to bring anything but empty hands. It’s not about performance. It’s about possession—He possesses us. And in possessing us, He fills every moment with Himself. That is goodness. That is faith. That is freedom.
📓 Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved, you were never meant to measure yourself by any standard apart from My Son. He is the radiance of My glory, the exact imprint of My nature, and I have placed Him in you as your life. In Him, there is no shadow or deficiency—He is your sufficiency.
Faith is not an achievement you offer Me—it is the surrender that lets Me give you everything. When you believed, you didn’t just accept forgiveness; you entered into union with Christ. From that moment forward, every step of goodness, every thought that delights Me, flows not from your effort but from His presence in you.
I do not ask you to mimic Jesus—I ask you to trust Him to live His life through you. What I have promised to faith in Him is yours: the fullness of grace, peace, wisdom, and joy. You have received not a sample of Christ, but the whole of Him. Now walk as one who belongs to Another, and let that belonging shine.
I am not counting your past. I am revealing your present—in Christ, in grace, in Me. Let no act be done apart from Him, and no thought held outside His life. He is your Goodness. Let Him be seen.
Scripture References: Galatians 3:22; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4–11; John 15:4–5; Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Hebrews 1:3; Philippians 3:9; Romans 8:10; Ephesians 1:18–23; John 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:30
🪣 Real-Life Analogy
It’s like standing beneath a motion-sensor hand soap dispenser. You don’t push a button or twist a handle. You simply place your empty hand beneath the sensor, and it responds to your presence. But if your hand is full—holding your own formula, so to speak—nothing comes out.
That’s how faith works in the life of abiding in Christ. We come empty, not offering our own version of goodness or trying to mimic Christ’s life through willpower. Instead, we simply hold out our hands in trusting surrender. Today, if you encounter a tense moment with your child, a frustrating email, or a temptation to speak critically, don’t reach for your own effort. Whisper to the Lord, “I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment,” and let His life be the response.
🙏 Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that I no longer need to strive to become good. You have already given me Your Son, who is my goodness, my righteousness, and my peace. I rejoice that I am no longer defined by my efforts but by His indwelling life. Today I yield all my moments to Him, confident that He will express Himself through me in ways I never could in my own strength. You’ve already given me all I need in Christ, and I rest in that abundance.