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- Apr 25, 2006
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Just Desserts
'...We have all received ... one grace after another...' John 1:16
There's an old story that goes like this: a small boy had been late again and again for dinner. One particular day, after his parents had warned him again to be on time, he arrived later than ever. He found his mum and dad seated at the table, already eating. In his place was nothing but a single slice of bread and a glass of water. He sat in silence, about to cry.
Suddenly his dad got up. The boy then watched as his father reached over, picked up his plate and set it before himself. Then his dad put his own full plate in front of his son, smiling warmly as he made the exchange.
Later, as a man, he said, 'All my life I've known what God was like by what my father did that night.' What his dad had done was help his son understand God's grace. Grace is a gift that costs everything for the giver and nothing for the recipient. It always comes free of charge, no strings attached, and on the house.
Ephesians 2 tells us how everyone had turned their back on God: 'You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience' but God doesn't give us our 'just desserts!'
God chooses to love us and forgive us. God is gracious - He gives us what we don't deserve, what we cannot earn or buy. The question is will you accept it? Will you live as God intended - not trapped in sin, but free by God's grace?
written by Bob Gass
'...We have all received ... one grace after another...' John 1:16
There's an old story that goes like this: a small boy had been late again and again for dinner. One particular day, after his parents had warned him again to be on time, he arrived later than ever. He found his mum and dad seated at the table, already eating. In his place was nothing but a single slice of bread and a glass of water. He sat in silence, about to cry.
Suddenly his dad got up. The boy then watched as his father reached over, picked up his plate and set it before himself. Then his dad put his own full plate in front of his son, smiling warmly as he made the exchange.
Later, as a man, he said, 'All my life I've known what God was like by what my father did that night.' What his dad had done was help his son understand God's grace. Grace is a gift that costs everything for the giver and nothing for the recipient. It always comes free of charge, no strings attached, and on the house.
Ephesians 2 tells us how everyone had turned their back on God: 'You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience' but God doesn't give us our 'just desserts!'
God chooses to love us and forgive us. God is gracious - He gives us what we don't deserve, what we cannot earn or buy. The question is will you accept it? Will you live as God intended - not trapped in sin, but free by God's grace?
written by Bob Gass
