Nothing Earned

Do you remember your first "real money" - wages for work done? I believe mine was from "picking" cotton; I earned a dime ... yeah, ten cents! I don't remember being too thrilled with that since it was terribly hard and hot work. We do well to remember we neither deserve nor earn God's mercy: "For by grace you have been saved through faith." (Ephesians 2:8). David makes clear God "has not dealt with us according to our sins [as we deserve], nor rewarded us [with punishment] according to our wickedness." (Psalm 103:10). How puffed-up and arrogant we can become listening to world-voices assuring us we deserve so much more than [even] what work for! David continues, "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear and worship Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father loves his children, so the LORD loves those who fear and worship Him." (V.11-12). Yes, thankfully, we live in a land of earthly freedoms but that freedom must never lead to trampling the Goodness of The Sovereign One. Okay, I may not even have deserved the dime from my cotton-pickin' but one thing I know: my heavenly Father looked upon me in mercy and extended grace instead of judgment ... nothing earned but everything gained! Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul!