“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18).
J.I. Packer said, “Hallowing God’s name requires praise for the goodness and greatness of his redemptive work, with its dazzling blend of wisdom, love, justice, power, and faithfulness. By wisdom God found a way to justify the unjust justly; in love he gave his Son to bear death’s agony for us; in justice he made the Son, as our substitute, suffer the sentence that our disobedience deserved; with power he unites us to Christ risen, renews our hearts, frees us from sin’s bondage, and moves us to repent and believe; and in faithfulness he keeps us from falling, as he promised to do (see John 10:28ff.; 1 Corinthians 1:7ff.; 1 Peter 1:3–9), till he brings us triumphantly to our final glory.”
We do not save ourselves! Neither the Father’s saving grace, nor the Son’s saving work, nor our own saving faith originate with us; all is God’s gift. Salvation, first to last, is of the Lord, and the hallowing of God’s name requires us to acknowledge this, and to praise and adore him for the whole of it. J.I. Packer, Growing in Christ.
As you consider the amazing grace of God, how does God’s grace in saving you manifest itself in your daily walk? Is there a reflection of this in your quiet time? How do you let God know that you are thankful for these mercies?
It is a great hindrance to us, both of our humiliation and also of our comfort, that we do not consider of the ways of God, and of his providence towards us in Jesus Christ. And if we are going to be stirred up to consider what the Lord is doing to you, and how his providence rules things concerning you, you would see that you have cause to be humbled, to look on all your ways, to repent of your sins, and to cry to the Lord for mercy and for forgiveness for his redemption in Jesus Christ.
Contemplation:
Lord, I bless You for the liberty that I have this very day in Christ. If You had rewarded me of what I deserve, I would have been altogether miserable. There are few that really seek you and you accept them and hear them. I seek you diligently, but not as I ought. Lord, look in mercy on me this day, and look compassionately on me even when I walk in the valley and shadow of death, and when I am crying to You, “O miserable man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Lord, I beseech you to relieve me and fill me up with grace that my cup overflows.
Help me to press on toward the mark, until I come to the end of my faith, which is the salvation of my soul, purchased to me by Jesus Christ.You are high and exalted and the God of all grace. You have, in infinite wisdom, laid out the plan of redemption for my good, and all that You do through Jesus Christ is for my salvation. Fill me by Your Spirit with a fresh power that I might have a new vision of your loveliness. Cause me to stand in awe at your redemption of sinners. Cause me to exalt the Redeemer in His glory and power.
