That is true for all of us. What we have received is far better than what we deserve. If not for God’s grace what we deserve is God’s wrath. That’s easy to acknowledge in a theological discussion but harder to welcome on an everyday basis, particularly when things are not going to our liking. Sometimes our murmuring and complaining is really railing against God because we feel we deserve something better than we are getting. Stop and think about it.

Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 2:1-7 (ESV) ¹ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Have you ever stopped to think about all that you enjoy in this life is a gift of God’s grace and mercy?

Matthew 5:44-45 (ESV) ⁴⁴ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

If people who do not know God acknowledge the multitude of daily graces that have been bestowed upon them, how much more should we who have been brought into His family make it known that what we have is by His sovereign mercy and if we had what we really deserved it would not be nearly this nice? This is not to scold us for any lack of gratitude, rather to help us all recognize that anything less than God’s eternal wrath is better than any of us deserve. If we have been saved by His grace, then we of all people should be “on ready” to express gratitude for His daily load of blessings that are given to us not because we have done anything to deserve it but simply out of His pleasure.

Psalms 68:19 (KJV) Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

I appreciate Dale’s answer because it’s not a frivolous answer, rather an expression of appreciation for God’s goodness and a personal self talk reminder to not complain but be thankful for everything God has given. A reminder we could all use. Thank you, Dale.

Godspeed,
Pastor Bob
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