“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” Is53.5
It is not gratitude for this gift which will honor it best but appropriating the grace it offers. We can never repay Christ for His supreme sacrifice, nor does He require it. He asks only that we transfer our trust from personal works to His own. In other words, the best way to honor a person who has given you a gift is to use it. In this instance, Christ himself is the gift. Use Christ to come to the Father. Use Christ in your prayers. Use Christ for life and peace. Why else would He call Himself the bread of life, the spring of everlasting water, if He did not intend for us to eat and drink Him.
We may feel in ourselves a desire to show our gratitude to God for this indescribable gift. The psalmist asks, “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?“ We do well to follow him in his answer. “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” When your host puts a cup of refreshment in your hand, the best way to honor Him, is to drink from that cup. 3/31/07 ts
Just me trying to be honest with God.
