Real joy is seeing Jesus, from the abundance of his grace, release one gracious blessing after another to each of us. We don’t work for any of it because it’s all grace. Listen in to learn how it can happen to you.

Have you ever noticed how God is gracious with you, sometimes in an unexpected way? Today’s episode is about a recent blessing I witnessed that I think will encourage you. It’s a blessing with several layers to it. So keep listening; you’re going to like this one.

Computer problems

A few months ago I realized I needed to replace my aging laptop computer, not so much because of the age itself, but because of problems with the keyboard.

The “a” key was the first to go. I couldn’t read it and many times had to press it several times before it would register on the screen. A computer technician recommended replacing the keyboard because he said the other keys will eventually do the same thing. Without boring you with the details, he said I’d be without my laptop for 10 days to 2 weeks to make the repair. I opted instead to replace just the “a” key, and there was no downtime at all.

But now the “a” key is doing it again, along with the “e, d, and c” keys which are no longer legible. Plus the cursor seems to have a mind of its own when I’m editing. Rather than paying to repair this older computer, and the downtown that comes with it, it’s time to replace it.

So I sent a letter to people on the mailing list for our missionary care ministry, Caring for Others. It’s the organization that sponsors this podcast. People on the list had donated to our ministry in the past, and I asked them to pray that funding would come in to replace my computer.

A blessing from an unlikely source

Very generous people believe in what we are doing and the checks started coming in. One in particular stands out that came with a Christmas card at the end of December from a missionary by the name of Ann. Janet and I are always encouraged whenever another missionary supports the work we do out of their limited resources. Listen to what Ann wrote to us:

Dear John and Janet,

I hope this finds you well! Thank you for your recent letter! I understand needing a new computer. Mine was 10 years old and just replaced it over Thanksgiving break. God blessed with the provision for it!

So, I in turn, would like to bless you with a gift towards your replacement. Thank you so much for all you do and may our Lord bless you.

Have a blessed Christmas,

Ann

Her note and sizable check, I might add, humbled me. Her aging computer was older than mine. Yet she wanted to share out her limited missionary resources with us. She truly did bless us.

Blessings pointing back to Jesus

Her note and check brought me back to what the Apostle John said about Jesus in his gospel, chapter 1, verse 16:

“From the abundance of the fullness of his grace, we have received one gracious blessing after another.”

So how did Ann bless us? Certainly, on the surface it was her generous check to help pay for a new computer that blessed us.

A deeper blessing

But I see a deeper blessing in her note to us. Ann had the same need I had, maybe even a greater one, which helped her more easily understand my need. Her need made her more sensitive to mine. It’s interesting how that works.

She saw how God had blessed her with provisions of a new computer for herself, and that inspired her to be a channel of a gracious blessing to benefit Janet and me. A blessing that comes out of the abundance and fullness of God’s grace. One blessing after another.

In reading Ann’s note, I sense a lot of joy. I can’t help but smile thinking about the blessing she’s feeling. Not only does God bless her with a new computer for herself, but he also uses her to bless us. It all comes from the abundance of the fullness of his grace. One gracious blessing after another.

Like Ann, it’s inspiring to be God’s agent in blessing others. Where we reflect the character of Jesus in our relationships with people. Where we give people a taste of who Jesus is by simply passing on to others what we have received from him. There’s a lot of joy in passing on one blessing after another.

I also can’t help but think of whoever bought that computer for Ann, whether it was one person, or several people, or a church body. They surely must have experienced joy in being a channel of blessing directed to Ann.

The great thing about these blessings from Jesus is that there’s nothing we can do to earn them. They only come from the abundance of the fullness of his grace. It’s all grace. All the time.

So what does all this mean for YOU?

I suspect some of you may not be feeling particularly blessed right now. If that’s the case, ask God for help. Ask him to remind you of the gracious blessing upon blessing you have already received. Maybe start with the blessing of having woken up this morning. Yeah, that would be a good place to start. And then ask God to take it from there. Ask him to help you make a list.

For me, I was looking at my paperwork the other day and it tells me I’m getting old. Yet I have all my original factory-installed parts. The same knees, hips, and heart valves I was born with. They seem to be working fine after all these years. Nothing has been recalled. One gracious blessing after another that I enjoy from the abundance and fullness of the grace of Jesus. I find joy in this.

You can too. Just ask for help in finding the joy. He’ll show you.

Here’s the main takeaway I hope you remember from today’s episode

There is real joy in seeing Jesus release one gracious blessing after another as he loves on us. We don’t have to work to receive these blessings because it’s all grace. All the time.

I’d love to hear any thoughts you have about today’s episode. You can put them in the “Leave a Comment” box at the bottom of the show notes.

Closing

I closing, I hope your thinking was stimulated by today’s show, to reflect and be inspired by seeing Jesus at work in your life and in the lives of others.

When you do this you will find the joy God intends for you through your relationship with others and God. Because after all, You Were Made for This.

Well, that’s all for today. I look forward to connecting with you again next week. Goodbye for now.

Related episodes you may want to listen to

139: Why Should I Listen to this Podcast?

141: One Simple Way to Brighten Someone’s Day

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