-August 22, 2020-
Good morning, happy Saturday,
-God Through Christ Freely Gives Us All Things-
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered us Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
(Romans 8:32).
God did something He did not have to do to save those who did not deserve it, by the sacrifice of His well beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He did not spare His own Son but gave Him to die for us on the cross in order to make salvation available to everyone who believes.
The story is so amazing and wonderful that we can hardly believe a holy God would lay our sins on His sinless Son who paid our sin debt in full. When God told Abraham to offer his only son Isaac on Mount Moriah, He tested His faith and his faith stood steadfast right to the moment he was about to plunge the knife into his son’s chest. God stopped him and provided a ram caught in a thicket to sacrifice in the place of Isaac. God spared Abraham the pain and sorrow, that He did not spare Himself when He gave His own Son for us.
There is no greater demonstration of God’s love than at the cross. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If God went to such extreme lengths to save us, how shall He not freely give us all things? We are now His beloved children through the adoption into His family. When God sees us, He sees us through Christ and in Christ.
When God gives us His gifts and blessings, He gives us freely, fully, and forever. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, “Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come – all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s”
Dear brothers and sisters, let us try to wrap our minds around that! God has freely given us all things through His Son Jesus. Do we not feel like Mephibosheth of old who said to King David, after David told him that he would eat bread at his table continually, “…Who is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I” (2 Samuel 9:8)? He sensed his utter unworthiness. We too are so unworthy but God considered us worthy of saving and blessing so abundantly.
This should not make us proud and boastful, but humble and thankful. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” How wonderful! It all belongs to us both now and for all eternity.
If we ever feel down or discouraged, let us remember we are children of the King, servants of the Most High God, His special treasure, the apple of His eye. We are so rich in Christ! He has freely given us all things! The hymn writer said, “Count your blessings, name them one by one; count your many blessings, see what God has done.”
Have a blessed day counting our blessings not our burdens. Stay safe and healthy.
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 