We have a God who loves to hand out awards. And because he is as gracious as he is generous, these awards are lavish — and completely undeserved.
After all, God created us in the first place. He gave us our hands, feet, eyes, ears, minds and hearts. Every good and perfect gift, James says, comes down from the Father of heavenly lights.
Then God redeemed us from our empty way of life under slavery to sin. He bought us back from a certain and eternal death — freeing us from sin, guilt and shame. And he did it at great cost to himself. He sacrificed his one and only Son, Jesus, to make that redemption become real.
God also gifted us with our talents, abilities, and various personalities. He shaped and molded us into the individual we are today, both through nature and nurture. Our inner “wiring” all belongs to him.
By grace, God has saved us for eternity. Even more shocking, he is building a personal home for each of us in the life that follows this life. He gives us this heavenly home for free. No mortgage payments. No savings account needed in this life. What provides this gift to us is the grace of God. No more. No less.
And finally, God promises to bless us in heaven when we use the bodies he’s given us, express the freedom he’s won for us, apply the gifts he’s chosen for us, all while living in the hope of eternal life that he’s made available to us.
And where do you think the motivation and energy we need to do this comes from? You got it. Like everything else, it comes from him. By grace.
God is that guy. He’s indiscriminate and unrelenting in his grace and generosity. So much so that the outside observer looks on and wonders if God is not way too generous.
But please understand God’s heart. All of this is because what God really wants for us is to share in his happiness.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” (Matthew 25:21, NIV).
Lord, thank you for your amazing generosity and grace which we get to personally experience each day. Thank you for wanting us to share in your happiness.
Our Bible reading for Saturday, February 7, is Job 40:3 – 42:17, Matthew 25:14-46 and Psalm 18:43-50.
Header image based on "Trophies" by Paulus, CC by 2.0
pastorjeffgunn 
Our Bible reading for Saturday, February 7, is Job 40:3 – 42:17, Matthew 25:14-46 and Psalm 18:43-50.
“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. (Job 42:2-3 NIV)
Heavenly Father, you do amazing things for me every day. I don’t deserve them. I take your blessings with one hand and sin with the other. I see myself wretched in your eyes. Help me to trust in you, in your plans. Give your blessings to all who I encounter that seek you. Thank you for the grace that you show to me and all you have touched since the beginning of the earth, your plan come true.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40 NIV)
He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing love to his anointed, to David and to his descendants forever. (Psalm 18:50 NIV)
~Paul Montenieri
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