We Don't Give Jesus Enough Credit

During my devotional time last night I was struck with how much Jesus has done for us, and how little I actually praise Him for it. My reading was 1 Corinthians 1:1-17, but I will be focusing on verses 1-9.

1:1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let's look at Paul first.

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus

From this statement alone it is clear that Paul's role as an apostle did not come from his own volition, but rather by the call and will of God. Paul wasn't sitting around one day wondering what his next career path would be. He was killing Christians, and would have still been killing Christians had Jesus not knocked him to the ground and blinded him on the way to Damascus. Jesus called to Paul, not the other way around. Jesus is responsible for Paul's conversion.

Now, I am going to take a broader stroke concerning the rest of us.

Jesus...

Sanctifies us (v.2)

Calls us to be saints (v.2)

Gives us grace and peace (vv.3-4)

Enriches our speech and knowledge (v.5)

Builds upon our spiritual gifts (v.7)

Sustains us to the end (v.8)

Makes us guiltless in God's sight (v.8)

Is Faithful (v.9)

Calls us into fellowship with Himself (v.9)

We...

Have fellowship together with other saints (v.2)

Call upon the name of the Lord (v.2)

Extend grace and peace to one another (v.3)

Give thanks to God, specifically the grace of God evident in fellow saints (v.4)

Testify to the grace we have received (v.6)

Wait for the final revelation of Jesus Christ (v.7)

The overall point of this is that Jesus Christ calls and sustains, and we merely respond. Without Christ doing all that is listed above, our list would not exist. The grace of Christ must be present if we are to praise Him rightly. The life of a Christian is marked by the evidence of Christ's calling, giving, and sustaining fellowship.

I cannot help but wonder if most Christians (myself included) fail to recognize just how much Jesus did and continues to do in our lives. It seems elementary really, and yet I doubt that Jesus receives the praise and thanksgiving that He so rightly deserves in working out our salvation.

I am thankful to Jesus that He felt it right to reveal these things to me during my short devotions, and I pray that I would not falter in trusting His perfect will and that I would praise Him more fully as a result.