680. It’s A Package Deal

“At the very end of the apostle Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth,” Stan began, “there’s a single verse that sums up all I need.”

“All you need for what?” I asked.

“Everything,” Stan replied.  “Life here, as well as life in eternity when it’s time for me to get on the train.”

“One verse covers all of that?” I asked.  “What’s it say?”

Responding, Stan said, “It talks about the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.”

“That’s a lot to pack into a single verse,” I replied.

“Paul was good at that,” Stan said.  “He was good at covering a lot of ground with a few words.”

“In this instance,” I replied, “it sounds like Paul covered the whole gospel in one verse!”

“I think you’re right,” Stan replied, “But let’s unpack this a little bit.”

“In the first instance” Stan added,” just think about what it means to have the grace of Jesus.  His grace gives me, you, and everyone who believes everything that’s needed for life eternally with God when it’s time, as well as all that’s needed in order to know God the Father and Jesus the Son on this side of eternity.  It’s  a gift of truly amazing grace that only has to be accepted to be real.”

“The second thing Paul mentions,” Stan said, “is the love of God.  Everything, absolutely everything, flows out of God’s love.  That’s why He sent His only Son to redeem the whole world through His grace.”

“Okay,” I replied, “that’s two; grace and love.  What was the third thing?”

“The fellowship of the Holy Spirit,” Stan said.  “It’s like the Holy Spirit is the one who ties everything all together.  All I have to do to experience the grace of Jesus and the love of God is to have fellowship with the Holy Spirit.”

“Fellowship with the Holy Spirit,” I replied.  “Kind of like being intimately involved with Him?”

“That’s it,” Stan said.  “Get myself out of the way, surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and through fellowship with Him, allow Him to show me the package of the grace of Jesus and the love of God.”

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The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.  2 Corinthians 13:14.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16.

And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.  John 17:3.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father, for your provision of everything I need, both for eternity with you when it’s time, as well as life on this side of eternity while I wait for the train.  Thank you for your love, for the grace of Christ, and for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.  Please open me to see, understand, claim, receive, and embrace all you have for me.  I confess that too often I don’t do that because I want to do something else.  Please open me to follow your lead in all you have for me.  Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Think on this:  Do you have the assurance of knowing that you are going to spend eternity with God when it’s time?  If not, why?  If you have that assurance, do you think it’s important to focus on where that came from?  Why or why not?  If you do want to focus on God’s provision, think about what is really meant by “the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.”  What do those things mean for your relationship with God?  If you can’t really say what that means to you, would you like to be able to express it?  If so, surrender to God and sit silently before Him and listen as He opens you to hear His explanation of what it means!