Do you Remember?

"It is no burden to follow God when we consider what great things He has done for us. Do you remember what it is like not to know Christ, to be without God and without hope? Do you remember what it is like to be guilty before God and unforgiven? Do you remember what it is like to have offended God and to have His anger burning toward you? Do you remember what it is like to be only a heartbeat away from hell? Now do you remember what it is like to see Jesus Christ with the eyes of faith and to understand for the first time who he really is and what He has done by His death and resurrection? Do you remember what it was like to experience forgiveness and deliverance from judgement and hell? Do you remember what it was first like to have the assurance of heaven and eternal life? When the fire of service to God grows cold, consider what great things the Lord has done for you.

He has never done anything greater for anyone, nor could He do anything greater for you, than bring you to Himself. Suppose he put ten million dollars into your bank account every morning for the rest of you life, but He didn't save you? Suppose He gave you the most beautiful body and face of anyone who ever lived, a body that never aged for a thousand years, but then at death He shut you out of Heaven and into hell for eternity? What has God ever given anyone that could compare with the salvation He has given to you as a believer? Do you see that there is nothing God could ever do for you or give to you greater than the gift of Himself? If we cannot be grateful servants of Him who is everything and in whom we have everything, what will make us grateful?" 

(Donald Whitney, "Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life")