Profitable Grace

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1Co 15:10 AV)

 

Paul's statement here is the attitude which every child of God should have.  If we could understand the depths of grace God has bestowed, our efforts and zeal could not be matched.  This statement conjures up a few thoughts.  If Paul stated that the grace was no bestowed to him in vain, that raises the possibility that it has been on others.  In fact, the phrase that follows the underlined phrase suggests this.  The second thought that springs to mind are the strength for that labor.  It was not him.  It was the grace that worked towards salvation that continued to work after it.  The grace of God saves.  And, the grace of God enables.  To neglect the duty of laboring for the LORD is to neglect grace already bestowed.  One would have to turn off the faucet of God’s grace to deliberately neglect God’s work.  What I see above is the moral duty of all the saints of God to use the grace has already given to do a work for Him that brings glory and praise to that grace.

I grew up watching the Brady bunch.  One episode told the story of Bobby who had found a wallet in a bush while going for a fly ball.  There there was no identification with the wallet, so he assumed the $100 inside belonged to him.  Dad had to explain there was a time frame of one month before the funds could rightly belong to Bobby.  They handed over the wallet to the local police precinct and patiently waited.  In the interim, without checking with Bobby, his five siblings were dividing the treasure into six parts.  Peter, who was with Bobby at the time of the find, decided he should get a double portion and Bobby should as well.  They began to make plans as to how they were going to spend the money all without Bobby’s knowledge or consent.  Then Bobby heard about it.  I refused to share any of his find because they had presumed upon him for a portion.  They never asked.  This caused great consternation among them.  Bobby was given a great treasure without doing anything to earn it.  One could say there was grace bestowed to him in the form of $100.  What was he going to do with it?  At his age, he had absolutely no need.  His parents met every need he could have.  He had a place to live.  He had clothes on his back.  He had food in his belly.  He had all the love a family could give.  He had need of nothing.  So, what was he do to with the $100?

The difference above is God’s grace is not limited to $100.  Or, for that matter, any amount.  His grace is greater than all our needs and the needs of all of creation.  There is no measure of His grace.  Grace can be limited by necessary judgment.  But grace still abounds.  If Bobby had found a wallet that acted like the widow’s vats that never ran dry, I wonder what he would have done.  I wonder if, after a while, he would have had his fill of the treasure and started to share?  This is what God has given to the child of God.  We have a cruise that never fails.  There is always oil and flour in it.  There is sufficient grace for the day.  For ourselves and all those to whom we minister.  So, the question becomes, what are we doing with the grace that has been bestowed?  Are we using God’s grace to the fullest?  Do we live in victory over sin and discouragement?  Or, do we neglect the grace of God that is unlimited and for the using?  Our cup is overflowing with the grace God has given for today.  Not only for us but for those to whom we can be a blessing.  Paul made a vow.  He promised the grace God gave him would be used for his needs and the furtherance of the gospel of Christ.  Praise be to the LORD for His unsearchable riches.