Inspiring Gratitude

Nothing more inspires gratitude in a saved sinner than a look back to the pit from which he has come.

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."  Ephesians 2:1-3

Then comes two of the sweetest words in all of scripture...

"But God..."

"But God, being rich in mercy,
because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
made us alive together with Christ
(by grace you have been saved),
and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him 
in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus."  Ephesians 2:4-6


God, moved by His love, His great love, resurrects us out of the graveyard of the world's system.  It had to be initiated by God because dead men can't raise themselves.  Because of our sin we were dead to Him but alive to the world's system, able only to feel all its impulses, sharing only its prince's nature, under incessant influence by him, living only to please and gratify ourselves.

God held back what should have come to us, His wrath, and instead, poured it out on His Son, and released His forgiveness on us, and seated us in the realm of His presence, right in the middle of His power, His will, His life, and His direction.

Praise Him!  Praise Him!

How can we not then live for Him?