Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Tim Keller
Taking Him for Granted
I know that at one time or another, I’ve taken the grace of God for granted. I didn’t give much thought to how much Jesus had to suffer and die for me to receive eternal life. Shame on me. But today I have determined to start my day off by prayer in thanking God for Jesus Christ giving His life as a ransom for mine and also to thank the Father because surely the Father suffered in seeing Jesus, the Son of God, die in such agony. God the Father suffered, too, not on the cross but from Jesus being on the cross.
When All Else Fails
When everything you’ve tried fails to solve your problem or trial and you have nothing else, remember that Jesus is with you and in you, both working in you to do good and to do His will. If all you have is Jesus, then you have all you need because Jesus has access to the mercy seat in heaven and can intercede on our behalf before the Father. Trust Him to make your problems known, and then trust Him to do what we cannot do for ourselves.
Satisfied in Christ
When we are satisfied in Christ, we don’t have to be dissatisfied with circumstances because we know that Jesus knows all about it and He’s not pushing the panic button. God never wrings His hands and says, “Now, what will I do?” The Apostle Paul wrote that God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). Our greatest blessings will be inheriting the kingdom and seeing God for the very first time (Revelation 21:3, 22:4). That will make the present suffering more than worth it (Romans 8:18).
Conclusion
Of course, Tim Keller is right when he said, “You don’t realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” Jesus has made it possible for us to receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Jesus made it possible for us to have access to the throne of grace, and our greatest spiritual blessings will not come in this life but in the life to come. That’s enough for me. How about you?
