Good day dear friends. We welcome two new readers to ConCafe! Blessings to you! Thanks for joining!
Yesterday we celebrated God's grace. We saw how it moved churches in Macedonia to do incredible things. Our working definition for grace as covered in our sermon notes was "Grace is that indescribable, undeserved, yet free-flowing gift of God’s love to us." We further noted that "When received properly it allows a special return in us towards God in ways that are sometimes indescribable as well." Grace could then be said to be God's investment in us. Whatever return God gets from us depends on how we receive and use His grace. We'll keep that in mind as we study today's study guide:
Monday: Where in the Bible do we find the verse that asks, “What’s in it for me?” Matthew 19:27 is the closest we come to something like that. Please read the question and the response given this brother who asked the question. Do you ever feel like that? And how do you suppose God would answer you? Reread the passage from yesterday and see if these brothers and sisters felt that way.
There is no such verse in the Bible. Matthew 19:27 says, "Then Peter said in reply, "Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" Peter is asking Jesus after hearing the exchange between Jesus and "the rich young ruler" as we've come to know him. The question of the young man to Jesus was what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus' response was textbook Sunday school, and the young man replied he had kept those teachings and then Jesus said to him to become unpossessed by his possessions. This was the hard thing and the young man went away sad. Jesus then said it would be easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. This made the disciples further ask, who then will make it into heaven? Jesus' reply was that for mortals this is impossible but for God all things are possible. Peter wanted to know, what then are we going to get for all that we've done?
The passage from yesterday was 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 and it deals with people who in spite of affliction and poverty respond with joy and an overflowing "wealth of generosity." It was not a matter of what's in it for me, it was a matter of saying, I want to give so that God and God's people can be blessed. It is normal at times to wonder what we get from our investments, especially emotional and spiritual ones. But ultimately the question is what is God getting from His investment in us? I would pray today we return 100 times to God what God has invested in us. Let us not think of ourselves and what we might be gaining from things but to share what God has already shared with us.
PRAYER: God of unlimited investments, invest in me again today, except today let the return be driven by Your grace in a way that will glorify You. Let me not think about what may be in it for me, instead let me prayerfully put me in everything that is about You. I pray in the name of He who gave Himself for me, Jesus my Lord. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
