Saturday, April 29 

Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Have you ever received an unexpected gift or kind word? How did it make you feel? Perhaps, receiving the unexpected gift left you feeling confused or unsure of how to react. Maybe it made you feel awkward and uncomfortable. Or, maybe you felt truly blessed.

Growing up, I can remember times when an unexpected gift (food, money, a trip, etc.) would “appear,” as if out of nowhere. It was often something that we did not deserve, which always made the gift even more amazing! As an adult, I can now see those gifts for the blessings that they were. The anonymous givers were the hands of Jesus that we needed to see in order to accept Christ into our lives.

Often the act of giving is easier than receiving; I think this is especially true as adults. However, there isone gift that was freely given to all of us. It was given not because we deserved it, but because the act of accepting this beautiful gift brings a whole family back together.

Jesus was born so that all people could be brought back into good standing before God. What began with Adam and Eve (sin), has continued to destroy relationships with God. When Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose after three days (what we call Easter), He provided us all a gift that would bring us back into good standing before our Heavenly Father. This gift is freely available to us and requires only that we accept (in our hearts) what Jesus has done for us. This is something that we can never pay for or do enough good works to earn/deserve. Salvation is a blessing and one that–once we accept–we can bless others with by paying it forward (i.e. sharing it with others).

 Sometimes, all a person needs–in order to accept Christ into his or her life–is someone taking the time to tell them about the gospel. Other times, our actions can bless people in ways we may never know. The key is to make a difference in the lives of others, like Christ has done in ours. Why not bless someone today by sharing this good news of Jesus Christ?

Prayer Topic:

Pray today that you are able to share God’s good news and make a difference in the life of someone else. Consider this prayer: Heavenly Father, the gift You have given me, of sending Your Son to die on the cross, is a gift that can be hard to understand and accept at times.  Father, Your gift is one that I am truly blessed by and thankful for. Please help me to be like You. Help me bless someone else today.  Help me to be Your hands and feet by making a difference in the life of someone else.  Let Your selfless act be my example and guide. Amen

Andrea Wesenberg