Worth Given, Not Won
A simple gift set in morning light, a picture of righteousness received, not earned.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More, Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Romans 3:21 says that the righteousness of God has been made known apart from the law. Ray Stedman reminds us that this is not about polishing behavior first. It is about God giving us a new standing, a righteous welcome that flows from Jesus and not from our performance. That lands close to home, because so many of us chase worth in quiet ways. We measure days by boxes checked, people pleased, or goals reached, then wonder why the heart still feels thin.
The gospel answers that ache. In Jesus, God gives what we keep trying to earn. He grants a righteous standing as a gift. He settles the question of worth at the beginning, not the end. This is not a pat on the head. It is a new center of gravity. When I know I am accepted in the Beloved, the scramble to prove myself loosens, and love has room to move.
Stedman points out that righteousness in Romans is not first about what you do, it is about what you are in Christ. That order matters. Behavior grows from belonging. Fruit ripens where roots are held. The life of abiding in Christ starts with a settled welcome, then daily choices flow from that welcome with a lighter step.
So, I am grateful for this good news. Today is not a performance review. It is a day to walk from a gift already given. The Holy Spirit delights to make that gift real in ordinary places, and He loves to lift our eyes when we forget.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I point you to the gift that rests on My Son. Now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God is revealed and witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. I clothe you in that righteousness through faith in Jesus. You are justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Him. You have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. There is now no condemnation for you in Christ. You are accepted in the Beloved, complete in Him, counted righteous, not by works, but by the One who justifies the ungodly.
I set you in a new place so that you may live from union with My Son. I made Him who knew no sin to be sin for you so that you would become the righteousness of God in Him. I pour abundant grace and the gift of righteousness so that you reign in life through Jesus. I root your worth in My choosing and redeeming love, and I bear witness with your spirit that you belong to Me.
Walk by Me today. Not to gain a standing, but because you have one. Present yourself to God as alive from the dead. Put on the new self, created after My likeness in true righteousness and holiness. Let your mind be renewed, and let your words and works be the overflow of the welcome you already have.
Scripture references: Romans 3:21 to 24, Romans 5:1, Romans 8:1, Ephesians 1:6, Colossians 2:10, Romans 4:5 to 8, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 5:17, Titus 3:4 to 7, Romans 12:1 to 2, Ephesians 4:24, Galatians 2:20.
Real-Life Analogy
Think of standing at a checkout counter with a gift card that covers the full cost. The total shows on the screen, and for a moment you reach for your wallet out of habit. Then the cashier applies the card, and the balance drops to zero. You did not negotiate or promise future effort. The purchase clears because the value was already provided. Living from the righteousness of God works like that. The Holy Spirit reminds the heart that Jesus has covered what we could not, and from that assurance He expresses kindness, patience, and honesty in us without the strain of self-approval.
Try this today. When you notice yourself reaching for old ways to prove your worth, pause and turn your attention to Jesus. Say, Lord, I trust You to ground my heart in Your acceptance and to express Your love through me in this moment. Then answer the email, make the call, or step into the room with a settled center, expecting His life to show through yours.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for revealing a righteousness apart from the law and giving it to me in Jesus. Thank You that I am justified freely by grace, welcomed and at peace with You. I receive this day as a place to walk from that gift. Let Your Spirit keep my attention on Your Son so that words and choices carry the quiet of being already accepted. Lord, I trust You to live Your life in me and through me in this moment.