“Thanks be to God for His inexpressible (indescribable) gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15)
I know it is not “yet” thanksgiving week, but I wanted to get a jump on it for there are many things in this life that cause us to dwell on the negative. But that is the root of the problem…this life…this world. Jesus made it clear that in this life we will have tribulation. He also talked of persecutions in the midst of great rewards in this life and the next. But through it all Jesus calls Himself the “gift of God”, that One that has and will overcome the world’s tribulations. While all of this is true…absolutely true…we still forget to give thanks for His indescribable gift of salvation.
Think hard…block out the negative…(for the moment)…and consider the many things for which you ARE grateful today, at the top of our list should be the “inexpressible gift” and the “unsearchable riches” of the Gospel. Why? Well, Michael Horton reminds us, if we have forgotten. “The gospel is not something you do, but an announcement of what has been done for you and to you by someone else…namely Jesus!” And it is this“…inexpressible gift …the unsearchable riches of Christ…” (II Cor. 9:15; Eph. 3:8), when truly considered…that makes us drop to our knees in repentance and then to give heart felt thankfulness to our God and Father…for all of this is freely given us in Jesus.
Though we would wrongly (some days) settle for a secluded beach or mountain top somewhere, the Lord instead has given us citizenship in His kingdom and in heaven, an intimate relationship with Himself, and an amazing grace-family of fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters in Jesus. 3 more things that describe His “inexpressible/indescribable gift”.
Knowing that at times we still hitch our joy and peace to mere people and things of this world, God has given us what we always wanted/needed more than anything else. Here are 7 more:
1. Full forgiveness.
2. Jesus’ righteousness credited to us.
3. A new heart filled with a desire to do His will.
4. All the legal rights and personal delights that come with being His adopted/beloved children.
5. Peace with God through Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:1)
6. The guarantee That He has been and is presently at work in all things for our good (Rom. 8:28).
7. The assurance that one Day we will be completely sin-free and fully Jesus-like (Philippians 1:6; 1 John 3:1-3).
So let us pray this simple prayer as you seek to hit your day head on, “Oh, Father, thank you, thank you, thank you for the “inexpressible/indescribable gift(s)” of the Gospel. Until That Day of all this being made new, thank you that we can know… “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love…By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment…”(1 John 4:16-17). Help us to stop and remember the good things today so that the worldly things do not rush in. In the powerful Name of Jesus. Amen!”
God Bless y’all today.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
