Page 125 - Grace150 Devotional

“These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have
borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied…“Friend, I am
doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?... Or do you begrudge
my generosity?” So the last will be first, and the first last. Matthew 20:12–16
In my early adult life, I found myself dealing with feelings of jealousy and
unfairness in regard to wages at my job. It was a struggle. I felt I was being treated
unfairly, and it took a while to deal with it and get past the issue.
One Sunday morning service, I settled in with what had become my too typical,
aloof attitude. As Pastor Ben began, my mind was pulled hard from this aloof
state. As he spoke about each worker in the parable of the laborers in the vineyard
in Matthew chapter 20, my old wounds and struggles of jealousy and unfairness
were stirred inside me. But as the sermon progressed, I began to see an opportunity
to know and understand how God grants us grace, free and unmeasurable. In life
we seek fairness in wages and accolades for our work. But if God were to grant
His grace based on our worth, or on fairness, we would all fall short of salvation.
Saved by grace means we cannot earn it or make ourselves worthy. Recognizing
this fact freed me to understand that the jealousy and unfair treatment I dealt
with were only small struggles in this life. It gave me peace to recognize that our
salvation through the grace of God is a free gift.
Lord, thank You for the gift of salvation through grace. We praise Your holy
name and trust in Your providence for our earthly walk, our family, and our
church.
– Dustin Blunier

devotions for the journey DAY 118