WAY TO WRECK A GIFT

For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.  Romans 4:13-14

Talk about a gift.  Because of Abraham’s faith, God justified him and then made a covenant promise to him.  He would be the father of many nations and through his seed the earth would be blessed.  This promise was not made because Abraham had done anything to deserve it.  It was a gift with no strings.

Many today are trying to earn their way to heaven.  They believe they can generate enough moral goodness to get in God’s good graces.  If their good outweighs their bad, perhaps God will save them from the fires of hell.  The story of Abraham, and Paul’s review of his story in Romans, strongly reminds us of the error of this kind of belief.  It’s ludicrous (and arrogant) to believe that I can do anything good enough to appease the wrath of a holy God. I am sinful, by birth, by nature.  Any good that I do does not wash away guilt.  Only the blood of the atoning Savior can do that – and that blood offering is a gift.  No strings attached other than fully casting my hope upon Him.

I got to thinking this morning about how I can easily wreck a gift.  As one who has habitually over-performed so that people would not reject me, I couldn’t accept their gifts easily.  What complicated it was that there were people who gave gifts with strings attached.  They gave in order to be praised.  But there have also been many who gave because God’s love prompted them to do so.  Instead of accepting their love, I worked to prove to them that I really appreciated it, that they shouldn’t be sorry that they gave what they gave.  I spoiled the love gift.

It’s hard to relax in God’s gift of love as well.  I’m sure I’m not the only one who has worked hard to keep God happy with me.  I crashed in my forties, disillusioned.  Fear that God’s love was conditional kept me burning the candle at both ends.

God’s love, expressed through Jesus, is free, no strings attached.  Should I work hard for the kingdom?  Oh yes.  But not because I’m trying to show God I was worth saving.  I work hard because I’m grateful for a love I didn’t earn.  Perfect love casts out the fear of rejection.  Performance pressure is birthed out of fear and pride and is healed by humbly accepting the warm place God provides next to His heart.  He will never turn me aside, not because I have earned His faithfulness, but because He is faithful.

If fear is running my life in any way, show me.  Amen