| Daily Thought — February
12, 2008 |
|
| LIVING THE
SOLUTION WITH DAILY INSPIRATION |
Now God
has us where he wants us, with all the time in this
world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon
us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all
his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him
do it. It's God's gift from start to finish! We don't
play the major role. (Ephesians 2:7-8 — The Message)
How often we forget this; it is God,
by His choice and an act of His divine will that we are
saved and made right in God’s sight. So many seem
to think that because they have lived a :good” life
or that they have lived the “Christian” life
for so long that they have somehow added to what God has
done and are therefore owed something. This is manifested
when they say things like, “why is this happening
to me? I have life a good life, I have done the things
that God has asked me to do and not done the things He
has asked not to do. Look at the things I have given up
to live the Christian life.” Do you see the problem
with this thinking? They think they are owed something
for having “given” up so much to be a Christian.
They have forgotten what Jesus gave up for them; that they
owe everything to God for the rest of their life. There
is no amount of “good” deeds that will ever
repay what God has done for them. If Jesus never did another
thing for us we would still owe Him our lives for what
He has already done for us, but He continues to bless us
and do things for us each and every day.
Jesus gave up His place in heaven and His life for us. We owe Him our lives,
not that it makes up for or repays Him for His sacrifice, but it is the least
we can do for what He has done for us. I know that we have been told that forgiveness
is a “free” gift and in the sense that there is nothing we can do
to earn it or buy it this is true. But remember what Paul says, that while we
do not play a major role in our salvation we do play a role. We are asked to
give up our lives, our claim to our lives. So while it is “free” it
will cost you everything including control of your life. It is the least we can
do for Jesus for all He has done and will do for us.
Live intentionally, purposely, free and with passion,
Pete Reinbold
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Scripture taken from the
Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of
International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks
of International Bible Society. Use of either trademark for the
offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent
of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible,
New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used by permission
of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All
rights reserved. |
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