Faith Thoughts

Another of George McDonald’s helpful insights can be found in the words, “My prayers, my God, flow from what I am not; I think your answers make me what I am.” 

Again these words find a parallel in Paul’s words, “For I am the least worthy of all the apostles, and I shouldn’t even be called an apostle at all after the way I treated the church of God. But whatever I am now it is all because God poured out such kindness and grace upon me—and not without results: for I have worked harder than all the other apostles, yet actually I wasn’t doing it, but God working in me, to bless me.” 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (Living Bible)

The dilemma of an unclear sense of personal identity was  illustrated by an incident in the life of the famous German  philosopher Schleiermacher, who did much to shape the progress of  modern thought. The story is told that one day as an old man he  was sitting alone on a bench in a city park. A policeman  thinking that he was a vagrant came over and shook him and asked,  "Who are you?" Schleiermacher replied sadly, "I wish I knew."

In Paul’s case, he declares that his only claim to being anyone is by God's grace, a messenger of Christ. A smile definition is that Grace is the unearned gift of God. What Paul is saying is that he did not reform himself and start over. He was transformed and sent out.

An engineer had this note taped inside his desk drawer at his office: "This is not my life. This is my job. Christ is my life."

Heavenly Father, thank you that like Paul it is by the grace of God that I am what I am.. It is by Your grace that I have been saved through faith in Christ and it is by grace that I am maturing in the faith and being conformed into the image and likeness of Christ.. for Your praise and glory. Thank You for the example of Paul who has helps us to understand that it is not the labour of my hand that is reckoned as righteousness.. but the grace of God that is with me and working through me.. that words the work of God. May I do all to Your praise and glory. Thank You in Jesus name, AMEN.