Access, blessings, and answers are all bestowed on us because of the generosity of God. God is the greatest of all givers. The first and greatest gift is Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave…” (John 3:16). The generosity of God is seen in other ways that we often do not think about. In most companies, those that have been there the longest have more benefits than someone that just began. Not so in the Lord’s family. Matthew 20:1-15, Jesus told of a farmer that employed men to work in his vineyard. He hired people in the first, third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours. At the end of the day he paid each man the same wage. Of course those that worked longer didn’t appreciate it. However, the farmer was a just man. He paid each man what he’d agreed to pay. May I also add that each man too agreed to the arrangements as well. It was his vineyard, his money, and his integrity which he valued. When God gives out generosity he gives it to the new Christian just as he does to the old Christian. Let me mention a couple of ways that may shed a little light on this thought.
First, the freedoms we have in America are God-given. Our founding documents speak of “inalienable rights.” They are from the creator and not from the government. If the government didn’t give them, then the government can’t take them away. When the country was first settled, the early settlers had freedom and now those that have recently been born in this country or have received citizenship also experience that freedom.
Second, in a church, at least in a Baptist church, each member has a vote on church business. One brother that has been in the Lord’s way for decades doesn’t have more votes than a brother that was baptized just last week. Each has one vote. Of course the Bible is our standard and it dictates church direction on most things, but on matters such as budgets, organization, carpet colors, etc. those are things the congregations vote to do. We members are all equal.
Now, back to the generosity of God. Once a person is saved, immediately things happen. You immediately have the Holy Spirit that is now inside you. There isn’t a litmus test or a time period before he moves in. You are now the temple of the Holy Spirit when you received Christ. You immediately have access to the throne room of God. You can pray and God hears you whether you have been saved one minute or five decades. You can immediately begin to learn the Bible in a way you could not before. Granted the longer you are saved the more you have grown in the knowledge of Christ or at least should have, but even the babies in Christ love the milk of the word. God’s generosity is always on display if we simply take time to observe it. One old preacher said, “God’s generosity isn’t reckoned by the clock or calendar.” I agree whole-heartily with that statement.