What God Gives That Money Cannot Buy

Good morning, and welcome to Grace For Another Morning.

Good morning, and welcome to Grace For Another Morning.

There is a popular idea that the blessing of God should always be visible.

A larger house.

A better-paying job.

A new car.

More money in the bank.

Greater comfort.

And when those things come, there is certainly nothing wrong with being thankful for them. Every good thing we receive is an opportunity to recognize the kindness and provision of God.

But Scripture gives us a much deeper understanding of what it means to be blessed.

Paul wrote that God “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

Notice what he did not say.

He did not say that every faithful believer would become wealthy.

He did not promise a luxury automobile.

He did not promise a life without bills, repairs, sickness, disappointment, or struggle.

Instead, Paul pointed us toward blessings that cannot be parked in a driveway, deposited in a bank account, or displayed for someone else to admire.

Grace.

Forgiveness.

Peace.

Hope.

Mercy.

Salvation.

The presence of God.

The promise of eternal life.

These are treasures the world cannot manufacture and circumstances cannot easily take away.

A person can own a beautiful automobile and still have no peace.

A person can live in a large house and still feel completely empty.

A person can have money in the bank and still lie awake at night afraid of tomorrow.

Material things can make life more comfortable, but they cannot heal the soul.

They cannot forgive sin.

They cannot restore a broken relationship with God.

They cannot give eternal life.

Jesus repeatedly directed people away from measuring life by possessions.

He said in Luke 12:15, “for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

That truth is easy to forget in a world constantly telling us that more is better.

More money.

More possessions.

More recognition.

More comfort.

But the Gospel teaches us that the greatest gift God gives is not something we possess.

It is Someone we know.

Jesus Christ.

When Christ becomes the center of our lives, our understanding of blessing begins to change.

We can thank God for the roof over our heads without believing that a larger roof would mean greater faith.

We can thank God for transportation without believing that an expensive automobile would prove greater favor.

We can work hard, save wisely, enjoy the things God allows us to have, and still remember that none of those things measure our standing before Him.

Some of the richest moments in life happen when very little money is involved.

A prayer answered quietly.

A burden lifted.

A frightened heart becoming peaceful.

A family member coming back to God.

Strength arriving on a day when we thought we could not continue.

Grace meeting us after failure.

Hope returning after disappointment.

Those are blessings.

And sometimes we do not recognize how valuable they are until everything else becomes uncertain.

Material possessions have their place.

We need food.

We need shelter.

We need clothing.

We need transportation.

Jesus Himself taught us to pray for our daily bread.

But daily bread is very different from believing God owes us luxury.

The Christian life is not a transaction in which we behave correctly and God rewards us with increasingly expensive possessions.

It is a relationship built upon grace.

Sometimes God provides abundance.

Sometimes He provides exactly enough.

Sometimes He teaches us contentment while we wait.

But in every circumstance, His greatest gifts remain available to us in Christ.

Grace for Today

Take a moment today and reconsider what you call a blessing.

Thank God for the material things He has provided, but look beyond them.

Thank Him for forgiveness.

Thank Him for another morning.

Thank Him for the people you love.

Thank Him for strength, mercy, hope, and the privilege of knowing Christ.