Feb 07, 2011 Delighting in the Common Grace of Life
Originally posted on February 25, 2005
“The eyes of all look to You, and You give them their food in due time.” Psalm 145:15
“Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds, to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.” Titus 3:14
To live with a truly Christian worldview, we must understand “common grace”. Common grace is the grace of God that comes to us in the form of all we need to sustain and enjoy life. It is “common” because God gives it to all of His creation. It is “grace” because it comes from God without our earning it.
Examples of common grace are food, clothing, work, family, music, and medicine. The sun, rain, soil, and seeds are gracious gifts to all people. Government, economy, education, and technology bring benefit to our lives. Parents are common grace to children. Cars are common grace to commuters. Books are common grace to readers. Tools are common grace to workers. We could go on and on with examples of everyday blessings that are truly gifts of God’s grace.
Why does God give these gifts? To show us His mercy, creativity, love, justice, and care for the world; to turn our heads and lift our eyes to Him; to lead us to acknowledge His grace and to trust Him as Lord and Savior.
Do we play a part in God’s common grace? Yes. We are told that we engage in good deeds by taking all that God has provided in common grace and shaping it and using it to meet the pressing needs in life. What dignity there is in joining God in the work of building and sustaining a culture that brings Him glory.
How do we take part in God’s common grace?
1. Acknowledge the God connection to all things in all of life. Don’t live life clueless! Remember and say out loud that all good gifts come down from the Father above. (James 1:17)
2. Appreciate God’s good gifts. Let each day be a day of thanksgiving for the numerous ways God sustains your life and enables you to join Him in doing so.
3. Develop your abilities. Every person on the planet is equipped to contribute to the good of the world in some way. With ability comes responsibility to develop and grow for greater service.
4. Do all things with purpose. If all things come from God, and what we do participates in His providing them for us, then all we do brings glory and praise to the One who is sustaining us through our actions. So, the purpose in all we do every day is God’s praise and the provision of common grace for others and ourselves.
5. Take joy in God in all things. If it is not sin, do everything knowing that God is pleased. Let His pleasure be the joy of your life.
Pastor Scott