God is Grace
Dear Beloved,
When I think of grace I think of a ballerina. Dancing softly in a single spot light in an empty theatre. But that's not the kind of grace that defines God. Grace in biblical terms is an unmerited, un-returned, abundance of mercy. Actually looking in the Bible, grace and mercy are almost always side by side. (Example: Nehemiah 9:31 “... For you are a gracious and merciful God.”)
As a child who was brought up in church, I often felt as if grace didn't apply to me because I was already there. I was already in church. There was no way God could have grace in my life because I was already in the endzone. I mean, growing up listening to guest speakers come in and share about their lives, I thought grace was a thing that only applied to people who were in the world. Little did I know...
Ephesians 4:7 shoots down that old theory of mine. It says, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ appointed it.” The grace that God gives me, is not the grace that He gives you or your neighbor.
Isn't it crazy that God sent His only son to come down die, for all of us. And He continues to show us grace as we lean away from Him. Think about it. What are you doing with all of the grace He’s pouring in to you? What are you making of yourself? Is what your doing in your daily life bringing Glory to the very name that keeps you alive? 2 Timothy says, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace.”
Our God is a graceful God. Looking back on my (short) life, I'm able to see the moments where grace took over and pushed me in the right direction. One of my favorite verses reads “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)
Even though God gives us grace, our work is not done. we still have to pray, read our Bibles, fight temptation. (Remember the gentlemen thing from last week)
God giving me to parents who would raise me in church was grace. I didn't have to go through what most people do. (Don't get me wrong, church kids have had our fair share of identity issues, but at least we have support systems and people who will set us straight!)
“But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
