“As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NLT
Have we pilgrims ever considered ourselves as “God’s partners”? Surely there’s too big a gulf between us for that. After all, God is the Creator of the universe that includes the populated world on which we live, hidden away in an obscure corner of a galaxy called the Milky Way. But this is just one galaxy amongst hundreds of billions, and the extent of the universe has not yet been defined because we lack the technology to plumb its limits. So how can we be “God’s partners”? To go the other way, scientists are finding smaller and smaller particles that make up the matter of which we are made. The smallest particles discovered are called Quarks, but our scientists might discover even smaller particles, once the technology to detect them is developed. So how can we be “God’s partners”?
It is only when we consider who we are in God’s grand scheme for His creation that we realise how privileged we are. How can the God of all love and care for you and me, pilgrims allotted a life span at this point in history? It is mind-boggling but we have to face the reality and truth of who we are, who God is, and accept that we are His partners. And it has all happened because there was a time when God said, “Let Us make man in Our image …” (Genesis 1:27). And ever since He has been pursuing the men and women He has created because he loves us. God was never going to be satisfied with lumps of rock forming countless celestial objects. He has created human beings, putting His Spirit within those who call out to Him with love and respect. And He has gone so much further by sending His Son, Jesus, through whom all things were created. Colossians 1:16, “for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him”. The amazing thing is that Jesus has called us His brothers and sisters, “So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11).
We pilgrims are not spectators in God’s story. We are participants. Through Christ, we have been reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18–20), and now we join Him in the ministry of reconciliation. Grace is not just something we receive. It is something we value and look after with awe and grateful hearts.
Paul begged the Corinthians not to “accept this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it”, meaning to receive salvation outwardly but to resist transformation inwardly. It would be like receiving a present from someone at Christmas, thanking the person who gave it, and then leaving it unopened in a drawer somewhere. That present was given to us from God Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus. Behind the wrapper is the gift of eternal life, but until we open it and embrace and accept the contents, we will still be heading for a lost eternity. Other people open up the present and say, “That’s nice”, after which they put it on a shelf somewhere, where it gathers dust, and it tarnishes with neglect. But we pilgrims have opened the present, taken out the contents and have then bowed before a Cross to call upon the Man being crucified to forgive us for all our sins. Eternal life with our wonderful Saviour will never be ignored. God’s grace is not passive. It calls us to respond.
In Isaiah 49:8 we find the Scripture quoted by Paul to the Corinthians. “This is what the Lord says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them. Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel and assign it to its own people again”. Although originally written to the Israelites, the message is just as valid for people today. God’s grace will not be present forever. Paul continued, “today is the day of salvation”. Salvation is not merely a past event or a future hope; it is a present invitation. The trouble with people is that they tend to live as if they have unlimited tomorrows, saying things like, “I’ll forgive later” or “I’ll get serious about faith someday”. But Paul’s message insists on urgency. Today is when repentance happens. Today is when obedience begins. Today is when hearts are softened. Delaying spiritual response dulls sensitivity. Immediate obedience strengthens it. Yes, God will still save people with their dying breaths if they repent and reach out to Him, as the story of the thief on the cross records.
The “marvellous gift of God’s kindness” is something we call grace. But gifts such as grace can be neglected. How do we ignore grace? By hearing the truth but refusing to change. By receiving forgiveness but withholding it from others. By celebrating salvation but resisting sanctification. Grace saves us, but it also shapes us. To truly receive grace is to let it transform priorities, relationships, and purpose. Paul, in his letter to Titus, wrote, “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will be revealed” (Titus 2:11-13).
Can we pilgrims pause for a moment before we embark on the busy day ahead? Should we be asking ourselves some difficult questions? How about, “Am I postponing something God is prompting me to do”? Or, “Have I grown comfortable with grace instead of being responsive to it”? Is there anything significant that we need to do today that is spiritually significant? Paul’s plea is loving but urgent. God has acted by sending His Son into this world. The invitation to the “day of salvation” stands open. And the clock of our lives is not ticking toward anxiety. Instead, it is ticking toward opportunity.
O Lord, thank You for Your marvellous gift of grace. Please keep us from treating it casually and instead help us to respond quickly to Your voice. Teach us to live with spiritual urgency, without fear, but full of faith, on this day, another day of opportunity for us, as we are graciously called to be Your partners. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 