Daily Devotional

What is an act of grace?  The grace of God worked in the Macedonians to be givers of their means, out of their poverty, to other believers in need.  In this context, it seems to mean giving to others freely – no obligation, no compulsion, no pressure.

But in this passage, Paul speaks to Titus and the Corinthians.  They had started an “act of grace,’ giving, but had not completed it.  Now it took Paul to urge Titus to work among the Corinthians to complete their intended “act of grace.”  The Corinthians were going to have to be willing to respond favorably to Titus to do as he was urging.  Paul was even using the lowly Macedonians’ generosity as an example of what the Corinthians really should be doing!

I guess grace takes work!  It is easier to think that grace will do it all, while men sit back and watch God work.  But in contrast, grace apparently often moves people to move other people to God ordained activity.
But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.  2 Corinthians 8:7
Paul praises the Corinthians for their spiritual maturity and activity, but then tells them to excel still more!  Accomplish this act of grace, this planned giving!  He does not just leave it to God’s grace.  This “act of grace” needed some prodding!

When Lynn and I were still relatively young in Christ (6 years), and our pastor was leaving, the question came around to me – should I take on this pastoral role?  I was not seminary trained.  I did not have a sense of calling as a pastor.  Others had already said it was not me who was next, specifically the present pastor.  So we dismissed it.

But we had two very direct encounters with other couples who were suggesting to us that I should consider being their next pastor.  We told them about our thoughts on this so far, that we had prayed and the answer was “No.”  They urged us to pray again.  First one couple.  Then another.  We received other more casual encouragements.

So we prayed, again, more.  And slowly the sense of calling (God’s grace?) began to emerge in our hearts.  In Lynn’s the same as in mine.  I was eventually called to pastor that church, and discover my true spiritual calling on earth!  But it took others to urge us to see the grace of God already stirring in our hearts.  And it took faith and some obedient steps on our parts.

As Paul goes on in this account about getting the Corinthians to finish giving the gift they had planned, he goes even further.  He tells them that a brother in Christ had been appointed, by the churches, to collect it! (18-19).  So much for a kind of free will gift!  Then Paul notes that they are going to not only collect this gift, but they will “administer” this gift, which the Corinthians are going to “freely” give!  He urges that they should be careful to do it, since Paul had already promised I to the recipients.  And he did not want to be blamed if they did not follow through!

What is an act of grace?  This one took the actions of multiple people to “help” the Corinthians give their “gift.”  So how do we apply these thoughts to ourselves.  Consider a few ideas.  You might think of others.

• Be ready to hear if God is speaking to you through others.
• Be ready to act as He confirms it to you.
• Be ready to be an agent of God’s grace in urging others to activity that already seems to be God’s plan for them.
• More than one step might be needed for an “act of grace” to finally flow to fruition.

God’s “generous gifts” sometimes require a lot of “administration!”

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.