Grace Benefits

The 4/15 verse of the day is 1 John 4:15, "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the son of God, God lives in him and he in God." (NIV)

On this traditional tax day, April 15th, people are often filled with dread because they know it is the deadline for paying any taxes they owe. You've heard it said that only two things in life are certain: death and taxes. I disagree. I'm looking toward the sky everyday to see if Jesus will return before I have to experience death!

The verse above is proof that I have a good insurance plan for eternity. I have acknowledged that Jesus is the son of God. His very spirit lives in me and directs me in the way I should go. Sometimes I don't listen as well as I should, but, nonetheless, he lives in me. Because I believe in Jesus as the son of God, my future, both here and in heaven, are secure. There's no better insurance or assurance than that.

We heard a friend recently talking about relationship with God. He said we can have a friendship with God, which God wants, and it's a beautiful thing. He said we can continue to grow in that friendship and develop a son/daughter-ship with God. That seems to deepen the relationship just a bit, doesn't it? We are most often closer with father-son or father-daughter relationships, than we are with our friends. Then, he said the ultimate relationship with God would be one-ship. Awe, that's the goal, becoming one with God. When we become more like Jesus, we develop this oneness with God. That's what I want for my life. The verse above, indicates that this is also what God wants for my life.

Today, on April 15th, most of us will have paid our taxes or made other arrangements to pay them later. If we are lucky, we have, or will, get money back for overpaying them during the year. That's always a plus! This year we've been given a little grace in that taxes are not due until April 18th because of some holiday in our capitol. That's totally random and unexpected, isn't it? Well, that's just like grace. It is undeserved and unexpected, but God gives it to us anyway.

God has already taken care of our eternal debt through Jesus. That's a certainty I count on. I've sent in my "return" of belief and love to him. The benefits for this payment, made by Jesus, are amazing and undeserved. The benefits are current and eternal. Now that's grace.