I talked to Linnea today, and she told me this good story that is such a good illustration of what God has done for us.
She and a couple of her friends were eating out at a restaurant. While they were eating, Linnea's boss and family came in to eat as well. They were all greeted and introduced. He and his family left before the girls finished. When they went up to the cash register to pay, the cashier told them that there was no charge, their bill had already been paid. Of course Linnea figured it was her boss. What a picture of us before God. We think we stand condemned, but when we look into our judge's face he says to us, "Your debt has already been paid."
That's not the end of the story, nor of the illustration. Afterwards Linnea's friend said, "I'm going to have to shop at-----store now." She'd never been there before. Isn't that just what our reaction is. No more compulsion to do something for God. No more trying to make Him happy by what we do. Now we freely want to show him our gratitude for what He's done for us.
God's grace in action. I need constant reminders!
2 comments:
I've been thinking the same thing with our episode with Jonathan at the park. Our boy was lost and he was found because his name was being called....shouted to hia and he was pretty relieved he was found!
A great illustration! Just as we can't earn our salvation, we can't do works good enough to maintain it, either. Whatever good we do can be done out of love and gratitude to Him.
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