To a young Christian who kept agonizing over his many failures and lack of spiritual growth, and wondering how God could possibly still love him, a more mature believer responded:
"When I leave here and return to my home I will pick up my baby girl and put her on my knee. And even as tired as I am, I will rock her and, somehow, looking into that sweet face and pretty brown eyes, I will soon feel rested and refreshed.
"When I leave here and return to my home I will pick up my baby girl and put her on my knee. And even as tired as I am, I will rock her and, somehow, looking into that sweet face and pretty brown eyes, I will soon feel rested and refreshed.
"This is strange, in a way, because she doesn't love me. She doesn't even know what love is. "She doesn't appreciate my problems and has no sympathy for me. My heart can be filled with anxiety or overwhelmed with grief, and my mind troubled over difficult problems, but she doesn't even know or care. She just keeps gurgling and giggling at the attention I heap upon her.
"She doesn't contribute one penny toward our family's needs; in fact, she costs me a great deal of money and will for many years to come. And yet I love that child more than I can say. There is no sacrifice I wouldn't make for her; no good thing I wouldn't gladly give her."
God's grace toward us is like this. It doesn't depend upon our faithfulness to Him or our appreciation of His love to us. He loves us with an incalculable love and keeps pouring upon us "the riches of His grace" simply because we are His children in Christ. And strangely, isn't it precisely this fact that becomes our greatest incentive to give ourselves to Him in loving service and sacrifice as we grow in grace?
Ran across your blog while looking for 3rd generation syndrome which was mentioned in the sermon today. I wanted to read more in English. I appreciate this entry a lot and will share it with my children and husband! Thanks.
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