On Being Stewards of God's Grace
Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you. (Ephesians 3:2)
Eph. 2:4-5, 4:1-16; Gen. 12:2, I Cor. 4:1-2; Col. 1:25; I Toes. 2:4; I Tim. 1:11; I Thes. 2:4, Tit. 1:3
What Is God Saying?
Paul is in prison and talks about being a steward of God's grace. How a person confined to small quarters and without easy, if any, access to the outside world could talk about being a steward of God's grace might seem puzzling to some, but the Holy Spirit was not and is not chained. Therefore Paul's prayers were as free as the Spirit and those to whom he wrote had expenenced his love and faithfulness (Acts 20:18-36). Paul was still a steward of the grace of God.
Certainly, this letter to the Ephesians was a channel of God's grace through Paul. His words gave encouragement and loving counsel. In his profoundly moving prayer, he asks that they might have love and unity and the indwelling strength of Christ and be filled with the fullness of God (Eph. 3:14-21). Paul reminds them that the Church is the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:1-6) whose members need each other to live and work and pray together in unity, being made alive together in Christ (2:4-5). In this magnificent letter, Paul is a Steward of God's grace to all Christians for all time and in all places.
How Does This Apply To Us?
The single most important point to observe in this text is that the grace of God is held by us in stewardship. It doesn't come to us to stop. It comes through us to go on, but the miracle is that the more it goes through us to others, the more it comes to us to stay The more it becomes a river to share, the more it becomes a reservoir to enjoy. When we tell others, give to others, and live for others, we will watch our spirits prosper. We will see the desert blossom and draw life from the streams. Freely we have received. Freely we should give. God's goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life. We can afford to be generous because God's supply is never exhausted.
Pray With Me
Dear Lord, make me aware that with all the blessings that flow from the spring of Your grace, Your grace itself, in all its completeness and unfailing supply is mine to hold in stewardship. I cannot take Your forgiveness and be unforgiving. I cannot treasure Your peace and fail to be a peacemaker. I cannot keep the good news of the risen Lord as my living hope if I keep it to myself. All the grace of God is given to me in stewardship. In being blessed, I must be a blessing. As the river brings lifegiving waters downstream, so my life is a blessing. As the tiny seed loses itself in the earth to yield a hundred-fold harvest, so my life is a blessing.
Make Your grace to me in Christ, O Lord, become Your grace through me. Take away the selfishness and indifference that would cause me to fail. This is the highest of all stewardship. I will not withhold Your grace from those who come within the sphere of my influence. I will try to be a friend to those who are rejected and lonely.
Through Your Son whose grace is ever sufficient. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
Prayer becomes effective and satisfying when we pray to receive God's grace to pass it on. Our life of prayer will be changed from a dull and habitual routine to a glad and joyful privilege We will discover we are channels of God's grace. Blessed to be a blessing is one of the oldest teachings of Scripture (Gen. 12:2). It is also the joy and power of prayer this day, this moment, and forever.
