Thanksgiving

Of all the rich blessings that come from the grace of God, the greatest is the gift of salvation. I’m grateful for every good and perfect gift that comes down from our Father in heaven, but the abundant, eternal life He gives in Christ Jesus far outshines them all.

Have you thanked God for your salvation today? 

Or have you even received His gift of everlasting life yet?

Sometimes in passing thought I wonder where I’d be without Him. What would my life be like if Jesus had not have called me to believe in Him? What if I had flat out rejected His sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of all my sin? What if I had despised His mercy and grace and the promise of heaven?

Maybe I could get by in this world. Go to work, make some money, try to hold a family together. Maybe even make an effort to do some good for others, coach my kid’s baseball team, give some money to the food pantry or the Red Cross once in a while. I could feel pretty good about myself. Be a good, productive citizen. But what assurance for better things to come would I really have to look forward to?

Or perhaps I’d be the guy who couldn’t hold down a job. Maybe I’d be the alcoholic who lived in secret shame, or the homeless man who lost his house and whose wife kicked him out to the street for gambling all our money away. Maybe you’d be reading about me on in the police blotter for abusing kids or holding up a gas station.

It is sobering and saddening to think about living without the life and hope of Jesus. You just can’t find the kind of meaning and fulfillment in life apart from Him. You can’t find the kind of strength or help you need to make it without Him. It’s foolish to even try. There’s just no other way. All other roads will ultimately lead to emptiness, frustration, disappointment, regret and death. 

Friend, if you have not yet come to Jesus for eternal salvation, then I have some good news for you. Today can be a brand new day, the beginning of a brand new life. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

That’s got your name written all over it. You are immeasurably loved by the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of Lords. But because our sins have separated us from Him, we deserve His wrath rather than His mercy. And no amount of good deeds could ever earn any of us favor with a holy and righteous God.

Jesus, however, is God’s perfect provision for our sin: “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:4-5). This is the amazing grace that is greater than our sin! Jesus took our sin upon Himself on the cross that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.

In the words of the famous hymn: “And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.”

So what do we have to do in order to receive this forgiveness for sin and the assurance of everlasting life? Repent of sin and believe in Jesus. That’s it. You can call upon the name of the Lord right now, receiving Him as your Savior and Lord.

And you’ll agree with me that of all the blessings that come from the gracious hand of God, the greatest of all is the gift of salvation in Jesus. “Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free.”