Can’t See the Fall Colors

We are just getting ready to roll  into the changing of the seasonal colors here in the Appalachian and Great Smoky Mountains. There are a few leaves that have started to turn, but full color is a ways off yet. For the past couple of years, everyone has said how pretty the mountain colors have been.  Living in the beauty of these two mountain ranges, the changing colors during the fall season is something to look forward to each year. The colors are like a brightly wrapped package that teases through the fall season and that once unwrapped brings forth winter.   

It seems though, with each passing year, that my ability to see the differentiation of colors has faded more and more.   I don’t see  differentiation.  Mostly, they just look like different shades of muted browns to me.  I guess it’s like watching an old “Technicolor” show on a black and white television back in the day of big box, floor model, black and white televisions. The color was there on the film like a gift to the viewer, but it did not make it through to the screen. That Technicolor film did not do any good if the television it was given to did not accept it.  

That is how it is with the gift of salvation. It is a gift to you, but you must accept it.  Ephesians 2:7-9 tells us that the coming eternity, when we are with God forever, will show exactly how massive God’s grace and kindness was to us as we share in His abundant riches.  I think it is so amazing that there was nothing that we did or can do for the most precious gift of salvation except to accept it from God, who gave it to us freely.  You cannot buy it.  It cannot be attained by working for it. If this was so  there would be those bragging of how they had attained it through human labor.  I smile when I think of salvation as the best Christmas present ever to be given.

This verse challenges us, as Christ followers, to try and grasp the scope of God’s grace and generosity that led Him to gift us with the kind of eternal life that we will share with Him. Also to understand that there was nothing that we did or can do—no amount of effort or good works—for the most precious gift of salvation except to accept it from God, who gave it to us willingly and bountifully. 

The application of this passage to our lives could be that we practice thankfulness for the free gift of salvation and continually remember that we cannot work for God’s blessing. If we are living a Christ-centered life, the blessings of God will flow naturally. 

What does this mean to my faith?  Knowing that my salvation is secure simply because God loves me and gave the greatest gift from the foundation of time lets me relax and serve Him with no quotas or work mandates. All I need to do is follow the guidelines that Jesus laid out for me… to try and live as He lived. 

Lord, how can we even begin to comprehend the enormity of the Gift that You gave us in Your Son. Thank You for Your Grace and kindness. Help me to continually attempt to live my Life so that it will honor the Gift that You have given. 

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“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”  2 Corinthians 9:15 (KJV) 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16 (KJV) 

“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”  John 4:10 (KJV) 

 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord.”  Romans 6:23 (KJV)

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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about Him.  

Do you know the God of grace? He created a perfect world. He loved His creation. Then, through the disobedience of man, God’s created beings, sin came into that perfect world. God, as the Creator, was the only One that could redeem His creation. Over two thousand years ago, a season in time came to be when Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, God in the flesh, was born as a tiny babe. (Christianity.com has a very good article about how Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies of the much looked for Messiah. Of course the better place to read this is in the Bible itself.) He lived a sinless life. At the age of about thirty, He began His earthly ministry. Jesus was abandoned by His followers, tortured and crucified to death. This He did deliberately, giving up His life freely. He was buried in a borrowed tomb that was heavily guarded by Roman soldiers. Then, as He had promised His followers, He arose from that grave on the third day. “Why,” you ask, “would He do this, go through this?” Ah, the reason… Love…Grace. He did it for you, His beloved creation! He did it for me also, of which I am eternally thankful. The thing is, He gave His life as redemption for the sin of the whole world. This same Jesus will come into your life. God is Spirit. You come to Him in spirit. Confess to Him that you realize you are a sinner. Tell Him that you believe that Jesus is His Son-His only Son, that He came to this earth to redeem you. Tell Him that you will turn away from a sinful life and follow the teachings of Jesus. Then find a local, Bible-believing church and become involved with the fellowship of the Church.

Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ! PeaceWithGod.net

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