“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.”
(Deuteronomy 7:7-9)
God’s boundless grace is the lifeblood of our salvation. As Elisha Williams declared, “The fact that Christ was given as a Savior is due to grace.”[1] God’s love is the reason sinners who deserve His wrath are offered redemption (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9).
Israel’s deliverance from Egypt demonstrates this beautifully. God chose them not for their greatness but out of His sheer benevolence, fulfilling His covenant with Abraham (Deut. 7:8). His mighty hand freed them, because of His faithful, covenant-keeping nature that extends mercy to a thousand generations.
Moreover, this grace goes beyond Israel to the Gentiles, who were once lost in idolatry but were drawn into God’s marvelous light (Eph. 2:12-13). Paul’s epistles teach that for God to choose to reveal Christ to any man is a privilege because our natural state, steeped in sin, warrants judgment (Rom. 3:23). Yet God’s grace offered pardon and redemption to the undeserving through Christ. This magnanimity reflects His sovereign will, as Deuteronomy 7:7 tells us, because everything He does is because of what His own will purposes.
Knowing that God’s covenant mercy flows from His infinite goodness, let us seek to worship and serve Him faithfully all our days with thankful hearts.
Contemplations:
- Boundless gift of salvation. Lord, thank You for Your grace and love that never end. May we always remember that our salvation is purely a gift born of this love, mercy, and grace. Help me reflect back Your grace in all I do, trusting in Christ’s sacrifice as the sole source of my redemption (John 3:16; Eph. 2:8).
- Cherishing the Gospel’s privilege. Heavenly Father, Your choice to love us and reveal Christ to us is an act of pure grace. Help us never take this privilege for granted. Let us always cherish and share the Gospel, knowing it’s a reflection of Your immense love. Guide my words and actions to proclaim this mercy that others may be drawn to Your light (1 John 4:9; Rom. 10:14).
- Humility before Your majesty. Dear God, in moments when we feel superior or deserving, remind us of Israel and the Gentiles. Remind us that everything good comes solely from Your grace. May our hearts be ever grateful and humble before Your majesty.
- Instruments of Your grace. Lord, as Your grace found the Gentiles, let Your grace find all those who are still lost today and yet, will become Your people. And use us as instruments to share the love of Your Gospel.
Prayer (Thanksgiving
O faithful and merciful God, You are the fountain of all grace, whose love chose both Israel and Gentiles alike for the purposes of Your sovereign will. Your covenant mercy, extending to a thousand generations, redeems the undeserving through Christ’s sacrifice. I worship You for Your boundless grace which gave us a Savior out of pure love. Your glory shines in Your unmerited favor, and I stand in awe.
I confess that I have often taken Your grace for granted, living as if I deserved Your favor. My heart has harbored pride, forgetting my unworthiness as a sinner destined for wrath. I have failed to share Your Gospel with zeal, neglecting the privilege of Your revelation. Forgive me for these sins and for diminishing Your magnificent grace.
With heartfelt thanksgiving, I praise You for Your grace that saved me and for sending Your Son to redeem me from wrath. Thank You for choosing me, not because of anything in me but because of Your love. I am grateful Your Spirit revealed Christ to me, and for Your covenant faithfulness which endures across generations. Thank You for making me an heir of Your promises and keep my heart humble until I stand in Your eternal presence.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further References for Deuteronomy 7:7-9
Deut. 4:37; Jer. 31:3; Isa. 43:4; Luke 1:73.
[1] Elisha Williams, Divine Grace Illustrious, in the Salvation of Sinners, (N London i.e., New London, Conn.: Printed and sold by T. Green, printer to the governor & Company, 1728) 1.
