The Riches Of Grace

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Ephesians 1:7

In 1997, the New York Times reported on a conference where Bill Gates, founder and CEO of Microsoft, gave an address. In the question-and-answer session that followed his talk, a medical doctor asked Gates whether, if he were to lose his sight, he would exchange all of his wealth to have his sight restored. Gates, who in 1997 was worth $35 billion, said he would indeed.

Microsoft’s stock’s highest-ever selling price was $$11975. If Gates had never sold any of his original Microsoft stock, on the day of that highest share price he would have been worth $$3843 billion. We can assume he would have traded all that to regain his sight as well.

But did you know those numbers pale in comparison to another set of riches that were exchanged that we might have sight? The riches of Christ’s glory in heaven were exchanged that our spiritual eyes might be opened and we may recognize the love and forgiveness of God (Philippians 2:5–8). We may never have many of this world’s riches, but we have been given riches of grace beyond comparison.

The riches of grace are not affected by the stock market or economic conditions. They represent wealth we cannot lose.