2 Corinthians 9:15 - Too Wonderful for Words.
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NLT) Thank God for this
gift too wonderful for words!
COMMENTARY PEARL
Something that people often overlook when
they think about the birth of Jesus is that the
beautiful Child born in Bethlehem and placed in a
manger was born to die. Its hard for us to think
about the fact that those soft baby hands would
one day grow into the hands of a strong Man with
spikes driven through them.
Its hard for us to think about the
fact that the little feet of the baby Jesus would
one day be nailed to a cross of wood, and the
little forehead of the Babe in the manger, so loved
by His mother, would one day be crowned with
thorns.
But know this: He came with a purpose. He
didnt come to this earth simply to show us how to
live a good life and give us the greatest
teachings that humanity has ever heard. Nor did He
come merely to perform miracles and show us the
truth about life. Jesus Christ did that and more.
Yet He was born in Bethlehem with the express
purpose of going to a cross and dying.
From the moment He arrived on Planet
Earth, Jesus Christ lived in the shadow of the
cross. He was born to die so that we might live.
The wise men had insight into His purpose
when they brought the unusual gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh. They gave Him gold because the
Child would be a King. They gave Him frankincense
because they recognized that He would be our High
Priest representing us to God. And they brought Him
myrrh, which is used for embalming.
They recognized the King, the High
Priest, would die for our sins. And He would give us
the ultimate gift, which the Bible calls a
gift too wonderful for words (2 Corinthians
9:15 NLT). Or, as the New King James Version
renders it, His indescribable gift.
Have you ever received an indescribable
gift? Probably not. You might be able to describe
an unusual gift, or perhaps you saw it
somewhere before. But this gift from God is
indescribable. It is inexpressible. And it is eternal.
Lets say that someone hands you a
beautifully wrapped box and says, Merry Christmas!
So, you reach out and take the gift, and then
they say, That will be $29.95.
That isnt a gift. Thats a sale.
However, God has offered us a gift, no
strings attached. Although it is free to us, it was
bought with the blood of Christ. Its the gift of
eternal life.
So, what do we need to do? We need to
reach out and take the gift, receive it, enjoy it,
and use it. God is offering us the forgiveness
of all our sin. Dont miss that. God is
offering us the removal of our guilt.
If youve never asked Christ to come
into your life, if youve never asked Him to
forgive your sins, if youve tried to find
fulfillment in things, relationships, or even in
Christmas itself and always come up short, then its
time to come to the God whom Christmas is all
about. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
CLOSING THOUGHT
For three summers in my youth, I was a
lifeguard. And like every lifeguard understands, I knew
that you cant save somebody as long as
theyre trying to save themselves. When someones
drowning, theyre typically panicked. Theyre
flailing around, trying to stay afloat. If a
lifeguard tries to help them while theyre still
trying to save themselves, then theyre going to
take the lifeguard down with them. So a good
lifeguard will often swim out and wait until that
person is exhausted and gives up. When they stop
trying and they start trusting, the lifeguards
job is easier. You just put an arm over their
shoulder and swim back to shore.
You cant save somebody when theyre
trying to save themselves.
Some people are trying to save themselves
spiritually. They may think theyre going to get into
heaven because of their good works. But God
doesnt grade on a curve. Heaven is perfect, and
were not. We need someone who is perfect to get
us in on his ticket, and that someone is Jesus
Christ. If there were any way we could get into
heaven without trusting Jesus as our Savior, then
God would have done it. If we could go to heaven
by just trying to be a genuinely nice person,
then Jesus death and resurrection were
pointless.
Theres no way were getting into
heaven on our own effort. Thats why God came up
with the plan for Jesus Christ to come to earth
and die for our sins. But he cant save you
until you stop trying to save yourself. Stop
trying, and start trusting.
The fastest thing in the universe is the
speed of light: 186,000 miles a second. If you
dont believe it, try opening your refrigerator
door before the light comes on. You cant beat
it!
But theres one thing faster, and
thats Gods answer to you when you ask him to
save you. It is instant. Theres no delay.
Theres no waiting period. The moment you say,
God, help! I need you to save me, Gods
response is instant. Your salvation is secure. As 2
Corinthians 5:17 says, a new life has begun!
(TLB).
It will be the most life-changing prayer
youll ever pray. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/ re 2Co. 5:17]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
2 Corinthians 5:17 - New Life in Christ.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230831-0901.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/