An amazing gift . . .

This past Christmas brought a surprise. I’ve learned much about computers and use one every day. However, I am the target of my children’s teasing for hanging on to my old flip phone. They also give me a bad time for hardly ever having it turned on. Maybe my husband took pity on me, but for whatever reason, he gave me a smart phone.

I must admit that my first thought was I don’t want a smart phone, but I received it with a smile and learned the basics (it is still smarter than I am). I even leave it on all day.

Like that phone, taking a gift into our possession is vital toward making that gift ours. If I refused to receive it and leave it with the giver, it would not be mine.

(Jesus) came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:11–13)

In today’s devotional, Tozer expresses concern for religious activity that causes us to think that people are turning to God. He says, as does the above passage, that this activity is not an indication of genuine spirituality. I agree, for I know several people who talk the talk and are actively involved in a church, but they have no personal relationship with Christ. They have never received Him and do not have that life that He gives by grace through faith.

John also wrote other criteria for being a genuine Christian. Besides believing in Him, he includes the need for having new life: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” (1 John 5:1)

Receiving Jesus is equivalent to receiving new life. It is His life, given freely to all who will accept it. This is also equivalent to being born again. One of my ‘religious’ friends equates this new life with eternal life in heaven. In other words, new life will be a gift from God after she dies. However, Jesus said otherwise:

Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) and “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5) The Bible affirms that the kingdom of God begins here. While it is complete in eternity, only those who have it now can enjoy it then!

That is, new life, redeemed life, eternal life, come at the beginning of faith when Jesus is received. He is that life. Unless we have it, we cannot perceive God’s kingdom nor enter it. Tozer says, “A sanctified life is a life conformed to the Scriptures in every particular. It commences with our hearts; it next reaches to our ears, and then it is accomplished in our feet.”

The idea of receiving a gift is simple: it is presented with outstretched arms and humbly taken with gratitude. Why then the idea that it needs to be earned, deserved, or left untouched? No one can earn it or deserve it, and unless we reach out and take it, it cannot be ours.

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I change the pronouns to make this personal. I have received You and life. What an amazing gift. Yet You offer to me opportunities every day to rely on the gift of Your grace and power. Humility and receptivity are just as important for those daily tasks and challenges as they were that day when I first received You. Your Word tells me that in the same way, I need to continually receive what You offer and walk with You in that newness of life.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6–7)