Day 12 — Receiving the Gift

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.”

— Ephesians 2:8–9 (BSB)

Imagine it’s your birthday. Your grandma hands you a beautifully wrapped present. You smile, reach into your pocket and say, “Thanks! How much do I owe you?”

That would be strange, right? You’d probably hurt her feelings. A gift isn’t something you pay for or work for. A gift is something you receive.

This week we’ve learned the best news ever. We all have sinned, and sin separates us from a holy God. But God loved us so much that He sent Jesus. Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins, and He rose again. Now He offers us forgiveness and eternal life.

But how do we get it? Many people think, I need to be good enough. If I go to church, obey my parents, read my Bible and do more good things than bad things, then God will accept me. But look at what Ephesians says: it’s “not by works.” You can’t earn it. No one could ever be good enough.

Instead, we are saved “by grace…through faith.”

Grace means God’s kindness that we don’t deserve. It’s God giving us the gift.

Faith means trusting. It’s like reaching out your hands to take the gift. You believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again, and you trust Him (not yourself) to make you right with God.

And because it’s a gift, “no one can boast.” Nobody in heaven will say, “I got here because I was so good!” Everyone there will say, “I’m here because of Jesus.”

Have you received this gift? Maybe you’ve heard about Jesus your whole life, but you’ve never trusted Him for yourself. You can do that today. There are no magic words. God cares about your heart. You could pray something like the prayer below. If you do, please tell a parent, a pastor or another Christian you trust. They will want to celebrate with you!

Think about it: Why do you think so many people try to earn God’s love instead of receiving it as a gift?

Try this: If you have trusted Jesus, write down the day you remember doing it, or write today’s date if today is the day. If you’re not sure yet, talk to a grown-up you trust about it this week.

Dear God, I know that I have sinned and that I can’t make myself good enough for You. Thank You for loving me anyway. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose again. Right now, I receive Your gift. I trust Jesus to be my Savior, and I want to follow Him as my Lord. Thank You for forgiving me and making me Your child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.