R e v e l a t i o n

DevotionTWELVE: Courtesies

We thank God for good food, for good friends and a good day. Yet on some other days, we dont feel like giving thanks at all. All too often we dont wake up every morning feeling overwhelmed by God's goodness. Got to admit, many a times I struggle with having to do my quiet time in the morning since there always 'seem' to be so many things to do - catching my daily dose of Oprah Winfrey at 9am, checking my email, pack my table, study......

Sometimes we get by each day or even days without talking to God or having Him in our thoughts. Havent then we slip into the presumption that God owes us something? Many a times, we act as if God owes us something (that we deserve what we get). Dont we deserve a good meal, school, meaningful work and friends to count on? Dont we deserve health and happiness and all the the good things that God gives me? Yes? No?

In fact, God owes us nothing. More accurately, we dont deserve what we've been given, let alone what He has witheld. We dont deserve another day, another meal, another laugh. God is not indebted to us. He has no obligations to make us happy by giving us what we want or what our heart demands.

Grace means "undeserved help"
Mercy means "undeserved relief"

What do we have that has not first been received as 'grace' and 'mercy'? Any good is an act of God's sheer, undeserved kindness.

In my presumption I have it all wrong. God owes me nothing. But I owe Him everything - Mart De Haan