A Little Opportunity

So my daughter had a slumber party on Saturday and she had chores that she was unable to do on Friday because of a busy day with dad and mom. So while she was at her party on Saturday the Lord put this way cool idea in my head to bless her. So the plan was to clean the bathroom and the windows (her Friday chores) and I even cleaned up her room. She gets paid after completing all her chores on Fridays. Now I don't say all this to say "hey look at me", but the beauty in what I was going to try and show my daughter in all of it.

When she got home I asked if she noticed I had done all her chores. So we looked together at the clean bathroom, clean windows, and a clean bedroom. I then took her to her bedroom and showed her the money I had in my hand. I told her that even though she didn't do any of the work and could no way try to earn the money that was in my hand, because all of what she was required to have had done had already been completed by myself; I was going to pay her.

I shared with her that my reasoning in doing what I did was to show her a less than beautiful example of what Jesus has done on the cross for sinners who believe. Jesus did all that needed to be done to secure our salvation. There is nothing we did to earn his salvation and favor. Just as I chose to do the work for my daughter, Christ chose to lay His life down for us. And just as my daughter did not earn the money I would give her, we can not earn forgiveness and salvation. It's a hard concept for some to grasp that Christ would choose to do such a beautiful work for underserving sinners like us.

Lastly, I asked her if she would like to "receive" the money in my hands as my gift to her. She hesitated a bit and said, "Really? But I didn't do anything?" "Exactly" I told her, "And that is what Christ does for us, but we must recieve His gift of Salvation in Faith." Yes, she took the money, but very humbly and thankful, without boasting, realizing she did nothing to deserve or earn it.

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

Oh that I would always remember to live a life of gratitude unto the Lord by how I live my life unto Him...This little example reminded me of God's Grace and the depths of His love which go way beyond my comprehension.