by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2013
Posted 1/5/13

Giving and taking; there is no one who can do this better than God; he is the great giver and taker. He gives us his greatest riches and takes from us the things that should be removed. Every good and perfect gift from above comes down from the Father of lights. God's good gifts are unmatched for he is the God of all grace. In giving us his Son, God gave us the greatest gift he could ever give. When we receive his Son we receive all that he is and we become heirs of all things.

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

It is equally marvelous how God takes. When a thief takes from us we suffer the loss of earthly goods and are worse for it, but when our Father in heaven takes the earthly from us we become richer. This is because he knows what must be taken for our good as well as what should remain and be strengthened. When we came to Christ, by faith, we came just as we were - bringing all of our faults, vices, and loves with us. When Jesus called us he simply said "come" he did not say clean yourself up before you come or make your eye single and then come; he just said "come". The power with which he saved us is the power with which he will purify us. He will take away all of our dross and all of the unnecessary things that must be taken away. Only God can do this. He is God - the great and wise taker.

God does not demand that we give up our stuff; he simply calls us to come abide in him. When we come we come with a lot of stuff. It is not so much that we give up our stuff, but that he takes it - he takes it from us - he removes our taste and desire for the earthly as we follow with him. Some things he takes at once through an immediate deliverance while many things require a process and are not taken until the time. He does not pry our hand open; he causes us to open it willingly. His love doesn't demand a change; it produces one. If we resolve to give up our earthly things for the Lord, only because we should, the desire for them may still remain and we might take them up again. But if he replaces our old desires with renewed desires and affections from above then we are converted by the power of God. Former vices and charms of lesser importance become closed chapters of our life as it so pleases him. Our sanctification is realized as patience has it's perfect work. Does any man have a godly desire to surrender all and put God first in his life? This is good, but let him understand and trust that this is how it will happen.

Every good thing is a gift of grace; even the grace that takes away the things that should be taken.

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