When you first looked at yourself in the mirror this morning did you think, “wow, I am looking at inimitable magnificence!”

Or were the thoughts you had more along these lines, “whoa, I didn’t know my hair could do that”, “oh my I look tired”, “looks like I need coffee and concealer”, or “the footprints of time are now trailing across my face.”

Most mornings my first glance in the mirror is blurry as I blink the sleep out of my very nearsighted eyes.  I put on my glasses and as focus becomes clearer my honest first thought is “yikes!”  and then I give a bit of praise that I am the only one walking around the house at this hour.

My hair tends to flip and flop in what ever direction it pleases, strands in all directions.  Which, I normal corral into a ponytail fairly quickly.  My attire is usually some combination of comfortable, but not flattering, cotton and fleece.  Certainly not a look of magnificence.

The truth is that even in my cozy cotton and pallid ponytail, I am a creation of inimitable magnificence.  No matter what the reflection shows in the mirror you, too, are a creation of inimitable magnificence.

There is only ONE of you.  Never before has there ever been someone with your specific combination of gifts, talents, DNA, experiences, qualities, characteristics, traits, desires, and design.  Nor will there ever be.  There will never be a reproduction or copy of you.

You are authentically certified as one of a kind.  You are inimitable magnificence.

Do you know what magnificence is?

Webster.com says magnificence is the “quality or state of being magnificent.”  To be magnificent is to be “marked by stately grandeur and lavishness.”

Stately grandeur has never been a part of my thoughts when I look at myself in the mirror.  Even on my most dressed up days when I have poured large sums of effort, energy, and expense into the cause of “beautifying” myself  have I achieved stately grandeur.  I am much more ordinary than extraordinary.

Do you desire to be magnificent?

I want so badly to be magnificent, valuable, known, important, secure, and significant.

I have tried so hard to be magnificent in the eyes of others, a well practiced people pleaser hoping to earn the accolade through exhausting effort.  Which resulted in my increased insecurity and devaluation, instead of feeling encouraged and built up.  I probably annoyed and frustrated more people than I actually was able to please.

When I could not achieve magnificence with people, I tried to work my way to magnificence with the Lord.  Sacrificial service to work my way to significance.  It takes me mere seconds to slip into sin and stubborn selfishness which removes the worth from the work.  The outcome is me feeling depleted and defeated, bruised and broken.

Worn out worthlessness, rather than inimitable magnificence.

“How great is the love
the Father has lavished on us,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.” 
1 John 3:1 (NIV)

The work we do does not produce our worth.  Our worth is based upon God’s love lavished on us.

The Lord lavishes His love on us.  He bestows us with His love profusely.  In abundance and with extreme extravagant excess we are loved.  In the love of the Lord we were crafted carefully to be inimitable one of a kind priceless treasures made in His image.  Being marked by the lavish love of the Lord we are given our magnificence as a gift.

You are a gift of inimitable magnificence! 

The Lord loved us first.  It is in this perfect love that we will grow in our value, in our security, and in our significance.  It is in a relationship with the Lord of love that we will receive victory over sin, a love for others, and a confidence in coming before the Lord.

The Lord’s love can heal the bruises and bind the brokenness.  The Lord’s love can bring victory to the defeated and refresh the depleted.  The Lord’s love can ease the annoyances and reconcile the frustrations.  The Lord’s love can enlarge, extended, and appreciate what has been torn down and devalued.

It is in the Lord’s love that were are blessed with eternal salvation.  It is was through the  sacrifice of the inimitable magnificence of Jesus that this gift was given to us.

“This is how God showed his love among us:
He sent his one and only son
into the world that we might live through him.
This is love:
not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and
sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”  
1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)

Live It Out

Jesus welcomes us with open arms, eager heart, and excitement in His eyes.  He invites us to come be wrapped in His lavish love.

Jesus bids us to come.  Come in our comfy cotton and pallid ponytails, to bring our coffee, and to leave the concealer.

Jesus calls us to look to Him.  It is in gazing upon the multifaceted dimensions of the love of Jesus that we will finally see a reflection of our inimitable magnificence.

What thoughts run through your mind as your look at yourself?
How does it make you feel?
Are you pursuing a path of people pleasing or trying to work your way into increased worth?
Are you struggling with loneliness or savoring the Lord’s lavish love?

Here are the verses I highlighted today with some words replaced with blank lines.  Put YOUR name in each of these lines.  Carry them with you into this Easter weekend, ponder these things in your heart, and ask Jesus to show you the inimitable magnificence of His love for you.

“How great is the love
the Father has lavished on ______________,
that we should be called children of God!
And that is what we are!
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.” 
1 John 3:1 (NIV)

“This is how God showed his love among us:
He sent his one and only son
into the world that __________________ might live through him.
This is love:
not that ____________ loved God,
but that he loved ______________and
sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for ______________ sins.”  
1 John 4:9-10 (NIV)

Pray Through It

Beloved Lord, thank You so much for the lavish love that You extravagantly, profusely, abundantly, and excessively pour upon us.  Thank You for Jesus in all of His inimitable magnificence!  Thank You for the sacrifice that offers us eternal salvation. 

Thank You for the love that gives us life, a life of inimitable magnificence.  Help us to receive Your invitation with expectant joy and eager anticipation.  Help us to come as we are, drawing near to Your grandeaur both confidently and comfortably, as children who are lavishly loved can do. 

Please take our energy and efforts to please people, repurposing them to love others like we have been loved.  Take our works done to increase our worth, and transform them into worthy ways to worship You.

In the inimitable magnificent name of Jesus, amen.