Through my years in Bible Study Fellowship, I’ve learned grace is unmerited favor. It’s God’s favor I don’t deserve, and it’s His favor I didn’t earn. It’s God’s gift to me.
Grace is God’s gift to us.
I find Ephesians 2:1-6, in the Message translation, explains it beautifully:
It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin. You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live. You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience. We all did it, all of us doing what we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat. It’s a wonder God didn’t lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us! Then he picked us up and set us down in highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah.
Yep. This passage describes me perfectly. He took my sin-dead life and made me alive in Christ. I fathom at how God hasn’t lost His temper with me, and hasn’t just wiped me off the face of this earth. That’s what I deserved, and quite frankly, still do.
But I’m thankful He hasn’t. That’s grace.
I don’t deserve the future He has destined for me. I don’t deserve this life He’s given me. I don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, His mercy, His love.
But I’m thankful for each. That’s grace.
We each have a choice… to live as the world says we should live, or to live in the grace God has given us. I desire the latter, but I can’t say I always do it well. Some days I fail miserably at it.
When grace is given the chance to flow through me, lives are impacted, and God is glorified.
The world tells us those who hurt us don’t deserve another chance. Grace says to give second chances.
The world tells us to love only those who love us. Grace says to love unconditionally.
The world tells us to do unto others before they do unto us. Grace says to treat others as we want to be treated.
The world tells us to hold a grudge. Grace tells us to forgive.
The world tells us to be loud and rude to get our way. Grace says to be humble and kind.
The world tells us to be hardhearted. Grace tells us to show mercy.
Grace. May we accept it, live it, show it, and give it.
Today and every day.
Blessings to you, my friend.
Julie
Linking up with Suzie Eller and friends for #livefreeThursday.
“Grace. May we accept it, live it, show it, and give it.” Well said, Julie! Thanks for the encouragement.
Hi Julie! Thank you, friend. It’s always a joy to have you stop by. Have a great week ahead!