I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.
Joshua 24:13
God gives His grace freely to those who cannot earn it. Some say that this is only a New Testament theology. But grace is all over the Old Testament. Here it is on display at the end of the conquest of Canaan as Joshua gives a final prophetic farewell to Israel after God had given them the Promised Land. Israel has settled in territory promised to Abram for his descendants so long ago.
Grace is found here both in God’s keeping His covenant with His people and in the gift they were given in the possession of Canaan. They received land, cities, farms, orchards, vineyards, and homes all by God’s grace. And the promise of God was now a lavish reality to a generation that had lived in the harshness of desert tents before these gifts came to them.
Christians as well enjoy a life in Christ for which we have not labored. It would be impossible for us to earn God’s favor, so Jesus did it for us, and God gave us blessings based on His work. The riches of eternal life, they joy of the Lord in abundant life, and the fruit of the Spirit in showing life are all glorious gifts we did not earn. They are in sharp contrast to the dry and barren lives we lived before faith in Christ brought such great grace! We could not be good enough to impress God. That’s why they are grace gifts! Grace flows from our loving Father to His children because of His great love for us in Jesus!
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