Have you ever gone out of your way to get someone a gift and they didn’t use it? Imagine going out of your way to get your co-worker her favorite morning coffee and she doesn’t drink it. (You’re not even a coffee drinker). All that time staying in line at the coffee shop. ‘Well no big deal it’s just a cup of coffee,’ you might say.
Okay what of a bigger gift? What if you had a good childhood friend named Chris living in another city? (Feel free to put any other name). One day Chris calls that he is broke, his wife has a part time job that barely puts food on the table, and he has been out of a job for months. They have two kids and a new baby on the way. Things have gotten so bad their cars are about to be repossessed and their house foreclosed on, even though they owe only about 20% of both loans. He breaks down in tears and tells you you’re his last hope. You decide to do something crazy for your friend. You get his bank details, break your fixed retirement savings, incurring a penalty. You pay off his car loans and pay off his mortgage, you go further and send money to his bank account to help with the baby on the way. After all, what are friends for?
Now what will you do if a few weeks later you go visit Chris, you find him taking the bus with the kids and his pregnant wife in the terrible cold, instead of driving the car parked in his garage. You find him living out of boxes, instead of enjoying the home that is fully paid off. Even with all the payment confirmations from the bank, why will Chris do that?
Well before you try to figure out Chris. Let’s think of so many times as Christians we choose not to enjoy God’s Gift. No one gives a gift and doesn’t want the recipient to enjoy it. You’re happy to give the gift, but you’re even happier for the person to use and enjoy the gift you gave. God isn’t any different. He wants us to enjoy the gift freely given to us. Why should we feel we still need to do something more before we enjoy the gift of His love? Why are we scared to bask in God’s blessings and rejoice in the freedom of all He has done? God loved us so much he gave his only begotten son to save us. He loves us so much he wants us to enjoy that love and everything that was freely given. We got salvation, righteousness, redemption, forgiveness, healing, prosperity, eternal life, and so much more. We need to use it!!! we need to enjoy it!!!
As for Chris…well….we’ll keep trying to figure him out.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.(John 10:10)
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:17)
Grace Notes 