HomeWord - Jan. 28, 2011
Salvation in the Present Tense
This devotional was written by Jim Liebelt
Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. —Philippians 2:12 NLT
While swimming in the ocean, a strong riptide current caught a boy off guard and he began to flounder. A man swimming nearby risked his own life to save the boy. The man brought the boy to shore and the boy shouted, "Thank you for saving my life!" The man replied, "That's okay, son. Just make sure that your life was worth saving."
This story reminds me that when we experience salvation in Christ, we are not saved just so that we receive the gift of experiencing heaven one day, but we are saved to make a difference for Jesus here and now! Our new life in Christ is not just "fire insurance," but rather a gift we are given today - each and everyday - to be lived as our "thank you" for what God has done in our lives. Salvation is not only a future hope, but a present reality that should make a difference in how we live.
It has been well said that we are "saved to serve!" The Scriptures challenge us to make the most of every opportunity God gives us - following in the footsteps of our Master, Jesus, who was the ultimate example of living a life of service - freely giving His life away - so others could know of God's love.
Today, don't waste a moment of God's gift of salvation! In gratitude, give yourself away to others so they might also know of God's love!
GOING DEEPER:
1. When you think of salvation, do you tend to think more in terms of the future or today? Why?
2. 2 Corinthians 5:17 notes that those who know Christ are "new creations" - that the old has gone and the new has come. What evidence is there in your life that the old has gone and the new has come?
FURTHER READING:
2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 5:15-18; Matthew 20:28; Matthew 10:8
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