Only Through Faith

Read: Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

 ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of 

God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Reflect:

  For kids, Christmas is all about the gifts. I think, no matter how hard we adults try to make it about other things, it’s still about the giving and the getting. It’s exciting. What’s in that box with the colored paper on it? Was I good enough so that Santa will bring me the good gift?

  My twin brother and I were significantly younger than our older siblings. I have a very clear memory of Christmas morning, sitting at the top of the stairs in anticipation, rife with energy and joy. I remember climbing on my older brother’s chest and peeling his eye open, “Are you awake?” It was Christmas morning, there was something exciting I wanted to see and I had to wait for him to be awake before I could see it.

  In Ephesians, Paul gives us news of the greatest gift, salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. He reminds us, that unlike children with Santa, we can’t be good enough to get that wonderful gift. It is through faith alone. We can’t say, “look what I did,” rather we can only say, “look at what I was given!”

  As Christmas approaches, I think of my older brother. You see, he’s struggling. Life has been hard on him lately. I want so much pull open his eyes and say “Are you awake?” But, I know there’s nothing I can do to make that happen. But what I can do is share the gift I’ve been given with the same energy and joy that I had as a child. Look at what I was given! I have the greatest gift! I can pray for him in faith, knowing God hears the cry of my heart and He alone can peel back his eyelids and awaken him to his need. 

Act:

Whom do you know that you could share with joy the gift you’ve been given? Whom do you need to pray for to have their eyes opened by the God of grace?

Pray:

Thank You for grace! Thank You that I have placed my faith in You and what You did on the cross. Thank You for hope in heaven and a life of joy despite circumstance here on earth. May the joy of salvation be as evident today as my excitement for Christmas Day was when I was a child. Open the eyes of those who need to see grace today.

Chris Cepulis