Extending Grace to Others

I'm glad you could join us for this Sunday edition of Our Daily Bread.

My name is Kirsten Holmberg and I titled today's reading, Extending Grace to Others. Our son spent the early years of his life in a children's home prior to our adopting him. Before leaving the cinder block building together to go home, we asked to collect his belongings.

Sadly, he had none. We exchanged the clothes he was wearing for the new items we'd brought for him and also left some clothing for the other children. Even though I was grieved by how little he had, I rejoiced that we could now help meet his physical and emotional needs. A few years later, we saw a person asking for donations for families in need. My son was eager to donate his stuffed animals and a few coins to help them.

Given his background, he might have understandably been more inclined to hold tightly to his belongings. I'd like to think the reason for his generous response was the same as that of the early church. God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that nobody in their midst had need.

The people willingly sold their own possessions to provide for one another's needs. When we become aware of the needs of others, whether material or intangible, may God's grace be so powerfully at work in us that we respond as they did, willingly giving from our hearts to those in need. This makes us vessels of God's grace as fellow believers in Jesus, one in heart and mind.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Acts chapter 4, verses 32 through 35. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.

For from time to time, those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales, and put it at the apostles' feet. And it was distributed to anyone who had need. Let's pray. Thank you, God, for the ways you've given generously to us, including the intangible but matchless gift of grace. Help us to share what you've given us, trusting you to provide for our needs and for those around us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.