It's All for Free
READ: Isaiah 52:13– Isaiah 53:12
One day after school, Bill was walking to his car and a strange man stopped him. The man said, “Here, I have two free Packer tickets.” Bill questioned the man as to why he was giving him the tickets and why he did not want them. The strange man simply told him that he was giving them away to make someone happy.
We are told in the reading from Isaiah that God has tremendous grace for us. We are told about the perfect life that Jesus led, and then the humiliating death he suffered for our sins. Jesus gave up exaltation in heaven, and came down to earth to suffer a painful death.
After hearing what Christ did for us all, we may wonder what we ever did to deserve such grace. The answer is simple - nothing! Everything God has done for us is absolutely free! It has to be, because God demands that we must be perfect to achieve the gift of heaven. It is pretty obvious that all people fall well short of his demands and we cannot do it by ourselves. So, faith is worked in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and we come to believe that Jesus is our Savior.
Once we have come to faith, we should thank and praise the Lord for all that He has done for us. Because He loves us, we should try to lead the perfect life He wants from us. When we fall short of that impossible goal, we should remember Jesus’ suffering, death, and the free gift of heaven which He has given us.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: Why should we follow God’s commands if heaven has already been given to us? How can we ever thank God enough for His grace? Why do we find it hard to share His grace with others?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: Confess just one sin Jesus took to the cross with Him. Ask God to help you follow His commands. Thank the Lord for everything He has done for you.