I Commend You to God

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I Commend You to God

What do we do  when we know our life  is coming to an end?

We know we want  to have a long talk  with those we dearly love  and care for.     Such was the case  for the apostle Paul.     He knew  that he would soon meet his end  and wanted to say good-bye  to the Christians he dearly loved  and worked so hard for.     In the last part  of Paul’s speech  in Acts 20:32,  he said,

And now  I commend you  to God  and to the word  of His grace,  which is able  to build you up  and to give you  the inheritance  among all those  who are sanctified.

Paul knew  he couldn’t do any more preaching there.    This was the very last time  he would see these beloved people.     There was only one thing  he could do.    Paul commended them  into God’s care.    Only God  could take care of them now  as Paul faced death  and these people had to continue facing  all sorts of false preachers,  worldly temptations,  trials  and tribulations.

Paul shows the one way  we can all be commended  into God’s care — that is being commended  to “the word  of His grace”.     When we accept God’s grace  to us — His forgiveness  through the blood of Jesus Christ — we are accepting God’s promises  to keep our souls  in His protective care.

“The word  of His grace”  is all  of the Bible.     It is the Bible — God’s word — that strengthens us  in the truth  and builds us up  in the true faith.     There are all sorts  of false preachers and philosophers,  who know how  to slyly sucker people away  from God’s grace.     All they need to do  is prevent a person  from actually reading  God’s word.     If they can keep us busy,  busy,  busy,  and away  from God’s word,  we will become weak  in faith.     Then  they will have a victorious smirk  on their face as we “learn”  to follow their falsehoods.

When we become weak  in faith  towards God’s truths,  we are prone  to start believing the false preachers  and philosophers.     God didn’t leave us.     We left God.     We made the personal choice  to not read God’s word  every day,  in order to be built up  in the truth  by it.

As Paul points out,  it is the word  of God  that builds us up.     We cannot depend  on our own smarts and savvy  to take care  of our souls.     We have to allow God  to take care  of our souls by feeding on His word  every day.

Then,  Paul reminds us  that only this word of God is able  to “give you  the inheritance”.       We do not get the inheritance  by doing things our way.     We must depend  on every word  from the mouth of God  to give us the inheritance  we desire.     Paul notes  that only “those  who are sanctified” will receive the inheritance.

The word of God  sanctifies us.     So,  if we have honestly thought this through,  we need  to respect God enough  to know  that we have to depend on Him alone  for our salvation.     If we want  to be sanctified  and receive God’s inheritance,  we must stay close to God  in “the word  of His grace”.     If we want  to be so proud and arrogant  that we still want  to do things our way,  we need to realize  that we will fail.

Let us stay  in God’s tender care  and truths  by studying His word to us  every day.     Then,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     My Lord,  Your promises are beautiful,  and wondrous,  and true.     Strengthen me  in Your truths  unto eternal life  to Your glory.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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