ESOCS Devotional 12 December 2022
TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 9:1-5
MEMORY VERSE: “It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 9:5
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
Grace is the thing! The Israelites defeated many nations. But it was not their military might that made them so outstandingly victorious. It was the mercy and grace of God. Moses warned them about this when he said to them, “Do not think in your heart, after the Lord your God has cast them out before you, saying, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land…” (v 4). Beginning with their deliverance from Egypt with Moses at the head, through the wars Joshua fought and the shepherd boy, David with his sling and five stones, including all the wars he fought in his lifetime, everything was done for them by God. It was not because of their military prowess or by their power or their might. It was by the awesome grace of God (Zech. 4:6).
It is so in our case. We cannot do anything without the grace of God. It is important that as believers we should understand this truth. Beginning with our redemption through the secret and open spiritual and physical battles that God fought for us and gave us victory to the food we put on our tables daily, it is the grace of God that has always worked for us. The Scripture also makes it clear that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
Let us cry to God for the abundance of His grace. He will give it to us bountifully. When we are successful in the things we do He receives His glory. For this reason, it pleases him to fill our lives with His grace. His grace does numerous things for us. It is by it that we overcome the difficulties of life. We sleep at night and wake up the next morning only through His grace. Our safe trips during our frequent travels are by His grace. We live from year to year and are free from sicknesses and diseases just by His grace. The turmoil in the world around us, which do not destroy us, is by His grace and loving care for us. Grace does it! We should always thank Him from the depth of our hearts for His graciousness towards us.
The psalmist considered all these and much more and was overwhelmed by the enormity of the grace and mercy of God towards him and he said, “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (Ps. 116:12). Truly, there is absolutely nothing that we possess that would be right and enough to thank him for His benefits towards us. All we can say is THANK YOU LORD!
CHALLENGES
- Reflect on the grace of God upon your life and see if you have thanked Him enough.
- Sit down and count your blessings and you will find reason to thank God.
PRAYERS
- Pray for the abundant grace of God to locate you.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
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ESOCS Devotional 12 December 2022
