CAC LIVING WATER-GRACE FOR THE RACE

LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL

GRACE FOR THE RACE
9^TH JANUARY, 2022

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Genesis 26-27

READ: ECCLESIASTES 9:7-13
7 Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.

8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.

9 Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of your vain life which He has given you under the sun, all your days of vanity; for that is your portion in life, and in the labor which you perform under the sun.

10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

11 I returned and saw under the sun that— The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all. 12 For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them. 13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me:

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MEMORISE: I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all .(Ecclesiastes 9:11).

EXPOSITION

Understanding what one needs for any voyage spells success and hitch-free journey. Prophet Elijah thought he had enough of the meal brought down while running away for his life from the devilish Jezebel, but God asked him to eat more. Why? The journey was far ahead of him Elijah obeyed and went in that strength to the journey *(1 Kgs. 19:3-9)*. That can be likened to grace, which everybody may not have. It is true we can have age mates, roommates, bed or bunk mates but there is nothing like "grace mates! Though we seem to enter into similar race, having accepted Christ as our Lord, yet the grace God gives individuals is not the same.

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Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, remains the general Grace God has given to mankind *(Jn. 3:16)*, though the latter failed and still fails to embrace. Despite this, the grace is still valid, up till now. However, the grace will be gone on the day of judgement. The hitherto Lamb that was once and for all slain for mankind would turn Lion with the rod of iron in His hand to judge the world.

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While God makes available His Grace through Christ, there must be conscious efforts to put oneself in the right place, in order for God's Grace to abundantly locate one. Enjoying unspeakable grace is not an automatic thing; rather it is brought when man plays his own role effectively. The race before every Christian is not an easy one, but God's special grace is sufficient, free and final to make it effortless. Where there is no grace for the race, struggling is inevitable! The grace gives you pace in the race; strive to put yourself in the arena where this happens, God helping you.

PRAYER POINT:

1. Lord, I need Your grace to succeed in the race, and I know You will never deprive me of it.

2. In Jesus' name, I will not fall by the wayside, on the way to heaven.

3. Pray for missionaries who are labouring on mission fields that God should give them the grace to do the work the way He wants.

DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY

©2022 LIVING WATERS IS a daily devotional by THE CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH