Amos 3:1-2
Listen to this, Israel. God is calling you to account—and I mean all of you, everyone connected with the family that he delivered out of Egypt. Listen!
“Out of all the families on earth, I picked you.
Therefore, because of your special calling,
I’m holding you responsible for all your sins.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
“Great gifts mean great responsibilities…” (Luke 12:48)
Probably all of us got at least ONE gift for Christmas. And I would venture to say that the person who gave us that gift put some time and effort into selecting something that was just right for us. This person most likely anticipated that we would take care of said gift…that we would treat it with respect and care. The same can be said for God and His precious reward of salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ.
God gave us His most thoughtful, most loving, most carefully planned gift. He chose us to be His children…His beloved…His redeemed. Like all presents, nothing is required in return once the offering is accepted. However, the “giver” does anticipate that we will honor and respect the bequest.
How do we do this with God’s gift of Jesus? We strive to honor and emulate Him in everything we say and do. We stay away from gossip, intolerance, discrimination and disagreement. We distance ourselves from dishonesty and deceit. We strive to love others as He loves us…and we pay attention to the needs of those around us – and do our best to meet them in His name. Does this sound like a lot in return for one gift? You bet it is! But consider the GIFT!
Hear God’s words again…”I picked YOU!” Such an amazing endowment deserves our utmost care and respect…and God will hold you responsible for how you treat Him and His endowment. So…how well are you doing these days?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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