Nothing, no thing is Withheld

UV 534/10,000 Nothing is Withheld From Us Romans 8 v 32 Romans 8 v 32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? When Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac, he prepared to do so. He was willing to do it out of fear of God. It was the ultimate test of his faith in God. He wished to please God with his act of obedience. It showed he would not withhold anything if the Lord asked for it. He valued his relationship with God more than anything else in his life. He attempted to do so for the sake of a righteous Person, God Himself. God stayed the hand of Abraham as he was about to plunge the knife into the lad’s body to slay him. He did so as He could not bear the idea of Abraham sacrificing his only son born out of a promise from God. When the Father sent His Son Jesus to sacrifice His life on the cross as the sacrificial Lamb for all the sin of all mankind, He did so out of love for man. He was willing to do for sinfful man what one man Abraham was willing to do for Him on His asking. He was willing to do so without man either asking or expecting such an act of mercy. God Himself had paid the ultimate price to secure eternity for man. He sacrificed His Son for our salvation, raised Him up for our justification and sent the Holy Spirit for our sanctification. Imagine the sorrow it caused Him to see the Son sent to earth to live a life of privation, deprived of all the goodness of Heaven. A certain believer, who had lost his only son in an accident one year after he became a believer,met me the other day and said, “ there was no laughter or celebration in Heaven, during the time of the absence of Jesus from Heaven.” Imagine the grief it caused the Father’s heart to see the son smitten and insulted, nailed and crucified on the cross? One can also understand the reason for His consternation when people treat lightly or with disbelief this ultimate act of love on His part and on the part of Jesus. The pact between Father and Son should so impact our lives that it is transformed and we are willing to reciprocate the love of God. Along with the promise of salvation, this uni-verse also promises “ all things”. When we believe and receive the Lord Jesus into our hearts and lives, we will along with Him receive freely all things or all the God-ordained blessings and provision we need in this life and the life to come. The word, “ freely” implies generously and without cost to the recipient. When the Lord God had not withheld what was most precious for our sake, He will not withhold anything good from us. He did it unlike Abraham for the sinful, the unrighteous and undeserving. Therein, He demonstrated His love, His compassion, His mercy and grace. Having done this, it is both improbable and impossible for Him to withhold from us any thing in Heaven or Earth that we might need. Salvation , therefore, and Shalom blessings are a holistic experience and not restricted to either this life or the next. It is like in the story of a millionaire art collector who writes in his will that all the treasures of his collection would be bestowed on the one who values a pencil drawing of his late lamented son. Prateep V Philip