ROMANS 1:5

“Through him we received grace and were given the work of being an emissary on his behalf promoting trust-grounded obedience among all the Gentiles”. CJSB   

TO PONDER

Gentiles here can be translated as nations, ethnic groups, non-Jews, pagans, or heathens. Doesn’t that old word ‘heathens’ conjure up old missionary preachers banging on the pulpit, threatening weeping, and gnashing of teeth for those who won’t accept the gospel.  Before we get on our self-righteous high horse and reach out to others, we must admit that we ourselves are also Gentiles, and see the ‘heathen’ within our hearts, the outsider in ourselves, or our own sinful nature, our shadow side, whatever you want to call it.  We are saved only by the grace of God.  Today, followers of Jesus are of diminishing importance and value in our society.  But from a place of honest vulnerability, we can reach out to others offering the grace of Jesus, the fellowship of the Spirit, the gentle hand of the Father. For how can we recognise grace unless we have known it, how can we see grace in others unless we see it in Gods work within us, how can they live in obedience to Jesus if we don’t let them see our broken pieces and show them Jesus fully alive in us?

Prayer: Jesus, as we see our own lack, remind us that in your grace we lack nothing, and so we have everything to give to others, your grace, your mercy, your love.  Amen.

Today's devotion written by Barb Niczynski, LifeWay Illawarra.