"But God!"

by Diana Kriesel

Monday,6/6/11 –Ecclesiastes 1-3;Psalm 45; Ephesians 2–“BUT GOD!”

[S= Scripture; O= Observation; A= Application; P= Prayer]

S– Ephesians 2:4-6 – “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”

O – "But God!" These are two of my favorite words in the Bible. We were living lives of sin, destination = hell; “BUT GOD!” Instead of letting us live out the consequences of our choices He chose to save us. He gave us life, and raised us from the grave of sin. And if that wasn’t enough, He has raised us to be seated together with Christ in the heavenlies. We didn’t deserve this… “But God” who is rich in mercy and great in love, made a way where there was no way, and gave us eternal life.

A – I love all the ways God intervenes in the lives of people throughout Scripture. I am always amazed at His grace and mercy. But the greatest of His interventions is stated in those two words: “But God”, for He saved us from an eternity in hell through His grace and mercy. Mercy means that God does not give me what I do deserve; grace means that He gives me what I don’t deserve. Wow!

P – Lord, we thank You for Your great love when You gave Your life for us. Thank You for giving us a new life in you. This new life calls for a new set of values, a new perspective, and a new way of living here on planet Earth. As Colossians 3:1-2 says, since we have been raised with Christ, teach us to set our hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Teach us to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. Teach us to live from Your Kingdom’s perspective; from a “But God” perspective.