1 Corinthians 15:8-11

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” vs. 10

Paul was very aware of his past. He had persecuted the Church with all the weapons at his disposal and had participated in the death of the first martyr, Stephen. And when he received a call from the Risen Christ to be an apostle he knew that he did not deserve it. Only by God’s grace had he been given the opportunity to be a missionary to the Gentiles–and it was grace that continued to sustain him and empower him in ministry. Sometimes believers are told that they deserve the good things that have come their way in the course of life, and some are tempted to believe that this is truly the case. But most people of faith are quick to laugh at such statements because in truth they deserve nothing. Everything they have and are is by the grace of God, and they know that it’s grace, not their good works or reputation, that will ultimately bring them home. So if there is a time when we are feeling particularly blessed, that would be a moment to give profuse thanks to God for the pure grace that is ours, and not waste a single second in thinking that we somehow deserve the goodness that has come our way.

Thought for the Day: When have I gotten what I deserve?