Gratitude
June 13, 2010
“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude,” Colossians 2:6, 7. “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28.
>br> Having accepted Jesus and His salvation, I find that one thing that I must work on is gratitude and a sense of awe at God’s love for me in that Jesus laid down His life for me. When I came up out of the watery grave resurrected in the new life through the glory of the Father, a life now clean with no sin, I was thankful and I was grateful. Not having been blessed to be reared by believing parents, I heard about God at Christmas and Easter, and it was enough to awaken within me emptiness, a longing for something more. I was fortunate to learn about the Lord through two friends.
Think about what Jesus did. Please be personal as you think about this. Picture the scene. Jesus and His disciples had gone to the garden that betrayal night. There He prayed for another way to accomplish salvation, but He accepted His Father’s will. The disciples were too tired to watch and pray with Him. Now the mob comes for Jesus. “So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, “I am He.” They drew back and fell to the ground,” John 18:4-6.
The only way they could take Jesus was that He allowed them to take Him. For me, He went through the arrest, the mock trials, the beatings, the humiliation, and the scourging. For me, Jesus was forced, in His weakened physical state caused by lack of sleep and all the physical punishment, to carry the cross. For me, nails were driven through His hands and feet into that rough cross. For me, He was lifted up and dropped into a hole, jarring Him as He hung there. For me, he endured the constant raising up to relieve the strain to breathe and sinking back down as His legs grew tired. Then my sins were dumped on Him who knew no sin, and the Father turned away. That was my well-deserved punishment, not His. Praise Jesus! He took my punishment.
I need to be grateful to Jesus and the Father all my life, every day. I am grateful because no longer do I have to face the wraith of God. Jesus did that for me.
Father God, I come before You in awe of Your love and of Jesus’ sacrifice on my behalf. Help my gratitude to grow that I may be of service to You. Thank You for Your awesome love. I am so amazed that You want me in heaven so much that You gave Your only begotten Son for me. I offer this in Jesus’ name, Amen. - Ed
Ed Wittlif ~ Denver, Colorado (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Ed Wittlif, former preacher of Albert Lea Church of Christ in Albert Lea, Minnesota, is a University Church of Chirst member.