For by grace you have been saved

I love Ephesians 2. I know I say this often about chapters in the Bible, but I really do love this one; it might actually be one of my favorite chapters. From the first verse Paul just overwhelms you: 

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Ick.  That was/ is us? So dirty, vile, unworthy of anything! But, wait . . . there's more . . .

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Wow. My mind can hardly comprehend these verses. After reading the preceding verses, how can we understand that God could have so much love and mercy to make us clean, new, and alive in Christ so that we can live for eternity with Him? 

We can't. 

But, it's true and we can revel in that glorious and beautiful truth and seek opportunities to share it with others.