for what does the scripture say? “abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. [romans 4:3-4]
God does not owe me anything.
we exist in a time and a culture where we believe and live like we are entitled to have what we want. we believe we are deserving, and are discontent and complaining when things don’t go the way we plan. life is a big transaction. we live like we have done enough to receive what we want. i am guilty of this. every day, many interactions reveal the selfishness in my heart as disappointment sets in if the interaction doesn’t go to my liking.
but as we are reminded this time of year, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. [james 1:17] so we acknowledge his good gifts and give him thanks.
abraham’s righteousness was given to him as a gift. he believed in God’s promises. he believed God’s word. he trusted in God’s character, believing God to be faithful and true. and this is our gift as well. when our eyes are opened to the goodness and beauty of God, he puts within us a heart of flesh, we see his irresistible joy and gladness, and we run to him, the way we would run to an irresistible feast set before us after a lifetime of hunger and thirst.
and this is not our due. our belief is not our glory. our works are not our glory. the praise for the gift goes to the glory of the Giver! we had no merit to claim it, we had no money to buy it, we had no goodness to deserve it. purely out of love, this gift was given to undeserving sinners.
may this truth drive us to thanksgiving today. righteousness is ours through faith in Jesus Christ, accepting his atoning blood as a covering for our sin. no longer under the wrath of God, we are brought into the love of a good and perfect Father, filled with his Spirit to follow him all of our days. and he is coming soon, our victorious Conqueror, to bring us home into an eternity of joy and gladness in his glorious presence. until then, may we live lives of gratitude and joy in him!
~arwen eastman