Wellspring of Joy
Ephesians 3:7
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift
of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
~ Apostle Paul
Pondering Point
The Apostle Paul, once a persecutor of God’s people, considered himself a servant to the people of God because of the grace God gave him. We often think of grace as something exercised with forgiveness, which it is. But it has other roles also. Here Paul indicates that grace puts us in position to serve others. God was gracious to Paul in forgiving His persecution of Jesus (Acts 22:7,16).
Here in the above quote from Ephesians 3:7 and in places like Romans 12:3-8, we find God using grace not as a gift of forgiveness, but as a gift of life-giving capacity in us for others. God gave grace to Paul for use in blessing others; God gives grace to you for use in blessing others. It comes in many forms: Spiritual gifts, abilities, experiences, and unique situations to name a few. Make a choice to become like Paul, a servant of the Gospel. You can use the prayer below to assist in putting your commitment into words.
Prayer
Father God, thank You for gracing me with forgiveness of sins. And thank You for gracing me with power to bless others by serving them in Your name.
Like, the Apostle Paul, I (re-)commit to become a servant of the gospel by Your gift of grace given me through Your power. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.