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By Dean Kelly

Minister, Highland Home Church of Christ

Dear God, please don’t give me what I deserve.

I know that all good and precious gifts come down from You (James 1:16). But I also know that I don’t deserve them.

I, like every human being, have sinned (Romans 3:23).  And I know that sin separates humans from You (Isaiah 59:2). 

I also know that I cannot do enough good things to make up for sin (Ephesians 2:8-9). I cannot establish my own righteousness, just as those of whom Paul spoke could not: “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Romans‬ 10‬:2‬-3‬).‬‬‬

So, Dear God, thank you for the fact that I can avoid what I deserve. Romans 6:3 states that the wages of sin is death. I deserve death, and all I can earn on my own is death.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians‬ 15‬:57‬). ‬‬

If I will come to the cross in obedient faith (Matthew 7:21), submitting to Your will, then at the cross my sins will be washed away by the precious blood of Your Son. He then has taken my place (Isaiah 53). He has received what I deserve, and He doesn’t: death. 

“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews‬ 5‬:8‬-9‬).‬‬‬

Thank You God for my precious hope found only in Jesus – at the cross!