April 27th | Gift of God

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 

GIFT OF GOD

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”   

There are times in life when gifts are expected. Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, birth of a baby, graduations and the like are occasions when gifts are given. A true gift given is when it is given because of the love of the giver to the recipient. The giver simply gives the gift because they want to. 

Today’s devotional verses speak of God giving you a gift. First, it gives the cause or reason for God giving it to you. He does not give it because of tradition, a special occasion or for the many other reasons that gifts are given. There is one and only one motivation for God’s gift. He gives it out of GRACE. As you know, grace is the Biblical word for God’s undeserved love for you. It is that love, and that love alone that God gives you the gift that is the focus of verses eight and nine of Ephesians chapter 2. 

God’s gift, writes St. Paul, is your salvation. Because of God’s love for you He gives you faith in His Son Jesus and through that gift He gives you the forgiveness of your sins, eternal life, and salvation. The verse concludes by saying, this gift from God is given, not because of anything you have done. You have not earned it! There is nothing special about you compared to any other person. God gives this gift purely and completely because of His love for you. 

Your Christian faith, your place in heaven because of the saving work of Jesus, your membership in the Kingdom of God, is yours because God loves you in Christ Jesus. His gift if precious, more precious than gold, precious gems or the rarest of earth’s treasures. It is a gift that will never wear out, be destroyed or become obsolete. In fact, it lasts into eternity. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—(which) is the gift of God . . .” to you! 

Prayer: Help me every day, O Lord, to treasure the gift of faith You have given me in Your Son Jesus. Amen. 

By grace I’m saved, grace free and boundless;   My soul, believe and doubt it not.  Why stagger at this word of promise?  Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?  No! Then this word must true remain:   By grace you too will life obtain. 

By grace! None dare lay claim to merit;  Our works and conduct have no worth.  God in His love sent our Redeemer,  Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;  His death did for our sins atone,  And we are saved by grace alone. 

By grace God’s son, our only Savior,  Came down to earth to bear our sin.  Was it because of your own merit  That Jesus died your soul to win?  No, it was grace, and grace alone,  That brought Him from His heav’nly throne. 

By grace! This ground of faith is certain;  As long as god is true, it stands.  What saints have penned by inspiration,  What in His Word our God commands,   Our faith in what our God has done  Depends on grace— grace through His Son. 

By grace to timid hearts that tremble,  In tribulation’s furnace tried.  By grace, in spite of fear and trouble,  The Father’s heart is open wide.  Where could I hep and strength secure  If grace were not my anchor sure? 

By grace! On this I’ll rest when dying;  In Jesus’ promise I rejoice;  For though I know my heart’s condition,  I also know my Savior’s voice.  My heart is glad, all grief has flown  Since I am saved by grace alone.  (LSB 566)