Sunday 2 Dec 2012

Sunday Reading: Hebrews 6:9-10

Key Verse: Hebrews 6:10
10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Devotion:
If we live under any misapprehension that we are any better than others because we receive gifts from God then we are sadly mistaken; the only way we are better than any other is because we have been shown grace and are forgiven and hence are without guilt. But it is not through any doing of ourselves but a gift from God and Him alone. With salvation we do receive so many gifts which we tend to take for granted; gifts such as love and faith. So let us not keep quiet about what we do receive with salvation so that others will be able to see just how special a gift God has given us.

But have you noticed how utterly reliable Christ is in His giving gifts to us along with our salvation? Have you noticed that His grace is free for all who are willing to believe in Him and place their trust in Him? Have you noticed that no matter had bad we were before we came to know Christ we all receive enough to make us a pure as snow?

No matter how hard we try to work for our salvation it is going to count as nothing. But just one ounce of belief and trust in Christ and we have complete and utter salvation. You may then start to doubt whether you should do anything right and doubt that what you can do will make any difference – that is where these verses should ring the bells for you loud and clear.

God does take notice of everything that we do get up to and when we take on the mantle of ministering to the saints, then we are taking on the mantle of ministering to Christ’s people. Just as God has warned us that whatever we do to His creation we in effect do to Him, He also wants us to remember that whatever we do for others, we also do for Him.

We need to make sure that we do encourage each other, build each other up, share our burdens, help with needy and not just rescue the perishing. If we just help those that are in dire need then we are no different from any other non-believer. But when we take on the job of ministering to the other saints, we begin to realise how much we are doing for God as well as for those we help. God wants us to love our neighbours – and that includes His people too.

Points to Ponder:
How do you decide who needs help?

Would you get help if God limited His help?