-April 29, 2024-
Good morning beloved, happy Monday,
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
(1 Corinthians 15:10).
Paul was a great apostle and servant of the Lord. He knew he was unworthy, but that God made him worthy through the death of Christ on the Christ. He left the old life behind, but never forgot what God delivered him from.
Paul used to persecute Christians, then after being saved he preached Jesus Christ and Him crucified. What a change! His testimony was so powerful that he shared how he got saved with many people. Grace made all the difference in his life. He labored more abundantly than any of the apostles, all by God’s grace.
God wants us to leave the old life and follow Christ. We shouldn’t dwell too much on our past, but we should never forget what He saved us from. Each of us is a treasure of God, a vessel of His grace. No two people are exactly alike, we are all unique and special in God’s eyes.
One of the pitfalls we can experience is trying to be someone else. It never works. Paul wrote, “But by the grace of God, I am what I am… All of us have different personalities, different mannerisms, different experiences. This should humble us, yet it encourage us. God loves us the way we are, but He wants us to grow and be more like Christ.
All of us are a work in progress; God isn’t finished with us yet. We have strengths and weakness, we make mistakes, we sin. We have losses and gains, ups and downs—all by the grace of God. How we respond to our trials is very important; God uses them for our growth in Christ.
Let us be ourselves by the grace of God and be a better version of ourselves each day. Just as a sculptor takes a stone and turns it into a work of art, so God is doing with us. You are God’s masterpiece.
Have a blessed day by His grace. Be light and salt for Jesus. Stay safe and healthy.
The army slogan is, “Be the best you can be.” Our slogan should be, “Be all God wants you to be.”
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 