Going on vacation can be very enjoyable. The anticipation and planning enhance the excitement of visiting faraway places…unless you forget to pack something essential. Even worse, it can be frustrating if the airline misplaces your luggage and all the items you carefully packed for convenience are no longer available. Despite this, one can manage to get by, but for some of us, it seems there is always something missing that we had intended to bring, which can be disappointing. Arriving with the entire suitcase intact is ideal for any well-planned adventure.
As Christians, we carry a unique and powerful suitcase wherever we go. This package, given by God, is within our hearts. It is through this suitcase that God entrusts us with His reputation and character. This suitcase enables us to obey all that we hold to be true about God. As we obey God, we genuinely represent His name and character as a witness before others. This suitcase is called Grace.
“By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name.”
Romans 1:5 KJV
To Glorify God
The “whom” in Romans 1:5 is Jesus Christ. We receive His life-transforming grace not only because He deeply loves us but also because He desires that we faithfully represent His character “…among all nations.” In other words, His grace is not only to change us for our benefit; His grace is provided to glorify God and His name before all nations. We glorify God and reveal His character by living out the change done within us. This change becomes evident to our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and foreign missions—thus demonstrating the power of God’s grace and glorifying Him.
“Men need to learn that the blessings of obedience, in their fullness, can be theirs only as they receive the grace of Christ. It is His grace that gives man power to obey the laws of God. It is this that enables him to break the bondage of evil habit. This is the only power that can make him and keep him steadfast in the right path.”1
According to Acts chapters two and four, the new church received abundant grace by the following formula:
- Dig into God’s Word daily.
- Pray together for God’s life-transforming grace.
- Surrender hearts to God.
- Share all God has given to you with others.
However, if, as Christians, we do not spend time studying, praying, sharing, and submitting to God’s will daily, we will be missing an essential portion of grace that God desires to pack in the suitcase for us. The difference between God’s suitcase and our vacation-packed suitcase is that God is the one who packs His suitcase for us. We cannot pack it. He alone knows precisely what we need to have a successful experience. Without His grace, we do not have His character. Without His character, we misrepresent Him before all nations. If we misrepresent God, we contribute to His enemy, the devil, and take God’s name in vain by calling ourselves Christian.
"Many have an idea that they must do some part of the work alone. They have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, but now they seek by their own efforts to live aright. But every such effort must fail. Jesus says, 'Without Me ye can do nothing.' Our growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness,—all depend upon our union with Christ. It is by communion with Him, daily, hourly,—by abiding in Him,—that we are to grow in grace."2
Call to Action
Spend time with God daily and pray that He will pack your suitcase with the most beautiful blessings of grace. He knows exactly what you need.
- Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1905), 115.
- Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, California: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1892), 69.
