(Read 1 Samuel 22:1-4)
This morning we continue our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.” I attempted to move forward with this story this morning but the Lord would love allow me to. He wants me to connect something that happened yesterday with what David was going through.
When last we dealt with David he was in a cave, at rock-bottom, all alone, at his lowest point, when God’s love was poured out to David by God sending his brothers to see him. I can only imagine what David felt like when his brothers walked into that cave. All the issues they had in the past were washed away in a wave of love. But God’s love did not stop there. God started sending more people David’s way, a band of misfits and outcasts, until David was the commander of 400 men.
I spend most Friday nights at the county Jail, ministering to a group of men. All the men I minister to have given their lives to Christ and are in the process of being discipled. They often tell me about their families. One of the brothers told me about his wife. She had never gone to church and she did not feel worthy. She felt condemned because of all the bad things she had done in her life. He tried to tell her that he was as bad as her and how God still saved him. He told her that Jesus died for us, sinners, and that nothing we can ever do can make us too bad for salvation. He kept urging her to visit my church, but she was not coming and he asked me to give her a call.
I called her, invited her, and yesterday she came. I welcomed her and went back to my seat. While my Pastor (Cynthia Brazelton) was preaching, and I was enjoying the Word, I kept praying for God to touch her heart. At the end of the message Pastor Cynthia gave the invitation and the lady did not come forward. I kept praying and trusting that God had touched her heart. At the end of the service Pastor Cynthia gave the benediction and she then did something she does not always do. She told the people that if they needed prayer, that the Elders of the church would be at the altar to pray with them. Praise God! I know God led my Pastor to make that final invitation. The lady came up, I shared the love of God with her — the Gospel of Jesus, the Gospel of salvation by grace — and she gave her life to Christ. Glory to God. I look forward to working with her now to get her discipled, but I am extremely thankful that she is now saved.
Like David, when this sister was at her lowest point, God sent people her way to shower her with His love. She may not have been in a physical cave, but she was certainly in a dark place. Now she has the love of God in her heart and like David, she is not ‘out of the woods’ yet, but she is certainly on her way.
So what does this mean to you today? A few things:
1. God loves you unconditionally. You cannot be good enough to earn salvation on your own, nor can you be bad enough to disqualify yourself from His love. You did nothing to make God start loving you and nothing you can do can make Him stop.
2. God sent His son to die for you. Jesus died for sinners, never forget it. Jesus died for us while we had nothing to do with Him whatsoever. That’s love!
3. There is no greater gift than eternal life in Christ. No matter how much God does for us and no matter how much we grow in Him, we must never cease to give God praise for saving us from hell and giving us eternal life!
4. God gives you eternal life by faith through His amazing grace. You accept Jesus by faith, but God gives you eternal life by grace. Not because you deserve it. Not because you did anything to earn it. We are only saved because of God’s amazing, immeasurable, and unsearchable grace!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for Your love. Your love is unconditional. You loved me before I had anything to do with You whatsoever. You sent Your Son Jesus to die for me, taking my place as a guilty man, well before I acknowledged You or Your love. While I was a sinner and while the world was full of sinners, Jesus died for us. And Father, You then sent people my way to share Your unfailing love with me, even when I kept rejecting You. You never stopped sending people to me. You never stopped sharing the Gospel message. You never stopped telling me You loved me, even when I felt like I did not deserve it. And when I was at the lowest points in my life, You always found a way to send someone to me, to share Your love with me, and to pick me up. I now have eternal life in Your Son. I accessed that eternal life by faith, but You surely gave it to me by grace. I did not deserve it then, and I do not deserve it now, but I have eternal life because of Your amazing grace. No matter how much I grow in You and no matter how many exploits You bless me to experience, I will never cease to give You praise for saving me from the hand of the enemy. You snatched me like a brand from the burning. I was completely guilty and You washed me in the blood of Your Son Jesus, making me white as snow. For that I will always give You praise. Thank You for Your love and thank You for loving me when I could not even love myself. Father, use me now to touch someone else with Your unfailing love and amazing grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
