“For
the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29
What kind of giver would retract the
gift each time a person failed to meet the giver’s expectations? We would think
that person to be unloving, unforgiving, uncaring; in short we would see that
person as a real baddie! Well, God is good. And when God gives gifts He does
not do so with repentance: He does not take back the gift.
God gives faith (Eph. 2:8) and God
gives eternal life (Rom. 6:23). We couldn’t muster enough faith to fill half a
mustard seed on our own. God gave us faith so that we could also have the gift
of eternal life. God does not retract, or repent, of His gifts. Then God gives
us gifts to use for His glory. He isn’t repenting of those either. We can
confidently say that God gives His gifts freely and without retraction. He can,
and does, still disapprove of our sin; but His gift of grace and of the Holy
Spirit moves us to repentance and joy in His forever gifts.
Dear
Father, Thank You for the faithfulness of all that You give. Amen.
The
Friday Benediction
Until Monday, my friends, may the good God envelop
you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of faith, “I believe in
the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the saints”, and may you be
enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that confession this weekend. Amen
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