But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. 2 Corinthians 8:7 (NASB95)
How does God demonstrate grace to you? Grace, or undeserved favor, is something we talk about often in the church, but do we understand it? We know that we are saved by grace (Eph 2:8), and we, along with the entire universe, are sustained by grace (Heb 1:3), but do we recognize God’s grace in our sanctification/growth?
As Paul writes to the Corinthian church, he challenges them to experience their growth in God’s grace through generosity. He begins chapter 8 by commending (bragging on) the Macedonian churches that were an example both of generosity but also of God’s favor (vv.1-5). He then commends the Corinthians for their growth in grace in faith, knowledge, proclamation, zealous perseverance, and in love. (Yes, this is the same church that he spent so much time correcting for messiness in their midst as well.)
Notice how v.7 ends: “that you may abound in this gracious work also.” We know that they were then abounding in the five things he just mentioned: faith, knowledge, proclamation, zealous perseverance, and love. We also know that this is only possible because of God’s kindness toward them (grace) as He grew them in these areas. Paul knew that God was graciously working in them to grow them in the area of generosity as well. This church made a commitment at some point in the past (vv.10-11), and now Paul was urging them to see it through. As with the Macedonians, Paul charged this church to remember their commitment to God first and then to the needs of the saints by God’s grace.
Here is where the wheels fall off for some. Sometimes, we view God’s work in our lives as Him desiring to get something from us, as if He were lacking and we were going to provide for His need. In actuality, as Paul expresses here, God is seeking to do something in this church (the people) and did not want them to miss it. They could only experience God’s blessing in this area as they yielded to His gracious calling on their lives. This is why Paul focuses not on the activity of giving, but on their desire to give (vv. 10, 12). Paul saw the opportunity to join God in providing for the saints in another place as God’s gracious work in the lives of the Corinthians.
Have you ever lacked fulfillment? Have you ever desired to be part of something greater than yourself? Have you ever wanted to see God move powerfully in your midst? Could the answer to these desires be as close as simply trusting His gracious work in an area of life that has been difficult to fully surrender to Him? If so, the answer, and the pathway to abundant life (John 10:10) is in a renewed commitment (both desire and action) to His gracious work. Let’s choose to never miss God’s blessings because we did not recognize His gracious work.
This devotional was first published at Englewood Baptist Church as part of our Daily Devotional Series.
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