I didn’t pay and can’t repay! Day 38

Please read Psalm 116: 5-14, 116:17

Some time ago, I read the true story of two brothers competing- coming to Christmas and birthday ‘gift-giving’. Each would try to outdo the other in giving expensive gifts and they also made the ‘gift-receiving’ difficult by putting gifts in puzzle boxes, mazes, on rooftops or high treetops, buried underground etc. One of them actually sent his brother an expensive ring secured in a metal sphere in the middle of a large, square concrete block. Naturally, the breaking of the concrete block took some effort.

Most don’t go crazy like the brothers, but people do try to outdo or ‘out-gift’ others. Eight months from now, most of us will be busy planning and buying gifts for friends, family, and coworkers. We give a gift and the other person reciprocates, and vice versa. At times, we are surprised by a dorea. What is a dorea? Dorea is a Greek word and it means free gift or a gift without payment.

The word dorea used 19 times in the New Testament. Jesus uses it twice (Matthew 10:8; John 4:10) talking about gifts from God. We all know that salvation is a gift from God and know we are justified and receive righteousness as a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:24; Romans 5:17). In the book of Acts, Peter warns Simon the magician that God’s gift cannot be purchased (Acts 8:20).  The truth is all eternal gifts provided by God cannot be purchased.

What do you do when you get an earthly dorea or unexpected gift? You can reciprocate. Coming to Gods’ gifts how can we reciprocate? Or how can we repay God for what he has done and is doing for us? The psalmist in Psalm 116:5-7 writes how God - in His grace, mercy, and righteousness - gifts him. Later in verse Psalm 116:12 he asks how he can reciprocate? The answer is provided in Psalm 116:13,116:17.   First, the psalmist writes, “I will lift up the cup of salvation”. A cup of salvation is a gift from God.  So the psalmist says he will “call on the name of the Lord”, i.e. thank and acknowledge God and His gift of salvation.  In verse 17, he reiterates the same thought.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, so far how have you responded to God’s dorea? Ponder the question and continue in a life of thanksgiving and a life of proclaiming God and His dorea.  

Heavenly Father, many times I do not acknowledge your marvelous gifts to me, especially Your Son and His Gospel, and Your Holy Spirit. Please forgive me for the sake of Jesus. Amen.