As a Christian, you have been given a priceless gift. You have been given salvation, the forgiveness of your sins and eternal life. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
You should be reminded of His gift to you every first day of the week when you partake in the Lord’s Supper. You should also remember the price Jesus paid for your gift; He suffered through the brutally of His death upon the cross to pay the price. It is good to be reminded frequently of God’s gift. When you appreciate that your salvation and eternal life are a gift, there is no room for boasting or pride.
Have you ever given someone a gift and they were unthankful? Maybe they cast it aside or criticized your gift or acted as if you owed it to them. Perhaps they offered no acknowledgement of the price and effort you put into the gift. But God wants you to be thankful for what He has done for you. Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” How thankful are you for the gift from God?
One way you can show your thankfulness is by telling God how thankful you are. You should praise Him and glorify Him for His matchless gift. When you go to Him in prayer, tell Him how thankful you are. Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs of praise and thanks. Another way you can show your thanks is in how you live your life. Colossians 1:10 “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” You should show your thanks to God by living your life in a worthy manner, by seeking to please Him in every way, by doing many good works, and by seeking to know Him better.
You and I will never be worthy of the gift of God. But the following scriptures describe how He wants you to live your life in a worthy manner. Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Ephesians 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 “As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” When you live your life in a worthy manner, as God wants you to live and as described in these passages, you demonstrate your thankfulness to God for His gift.
2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” Be thankful to God for His gift of salvation and eternal life.