The Freeness of God’s Grace in Christ

Let us adore the freeness of God's Mercy and the sovereignty of His Grace. God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways. Man has generally some reason for conferring his favors; some claim arising from person or pedigree, from character or attainments. But God's sole motive in conferring favors is His own free and gracious purpose: "It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." (Romans 9:16) He takes a Manasseh, filling Jerusalem with blood and makes him a monument of forgiveness. He takes a Saul breathing out his blasphemies and converts him into the great apostle. He takes a crude heathen jailer or an unprincipled tax-gatherer of Jericho or a profligate woman of Capernaum or a felon in his dying agonies, while many encircled with the halo of natural virtues or with the prestige of religious education and training are left to perish in their ungodliness and unbelief and pride!

How is it that I am made to differ? How is it that that tale of misery and ruin; that which, in the case of others has broken a parent's heart and sent him sobbing and halting to the grave; how is it that I have escaped these dread temptations while others have broken loose with a worse than maniac's madness, I am this day sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in my right mind?

Not unto me, O God! Not unto me!

But unto Your name be all the glory!