Grace - is the gift of unmerited mercy and forgiveness. To receive this gift we need to understand that we need mercy and forgiveness. When someone has cancer they may not know it for a long time. Only when they realize how sick they really are do they reach out for a cure, for medicine. For many the cancer they have is in their soul. They are oblivious to the fact that they need grace.
God's offer of grace is not something we purchase with our good works or our own efforts. God's grace is freely given out of love. In Ephesians 2: 8-10 Paul says:
"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
Notice that salvation comes from unmerited grace, not of our own efforts, but we are also told that good works are literally why God created us, that he prepared us for these very works. Good works are a product of God's grace. They are the end result of His greatest gift.
When someone gives us a gift we don't deserve we don't brag about how great we were to deserve it, no, we accept it humbly, knowing it came to us purely out of love. In fact, humility allows us to receive even more of God's grace.
"But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” James 4: 6
As Paul says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith", so to receive grace we must have faith. In Romans 10: 17, Paul tells us where faith comes from.
"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Hearing the word of God is more than just hearing sounds, but listening to the word of God. When we study the Bible God speaks to us, individually, if we listen and truly hear what He is saying to us. He speaks to us through our teachers and preachers. He speaks to us in song. He is telling us about this wonderous gift of grace He has for us. Through faith we can receive it.
And what is faith? According to Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Faith is the evidence of the God we cannot see. Through faith we receive grace. We need God's grace continuously in our Christian life. God's grace saves us, sanctifies us, justifies us, and empowers us for His service.
Let's look for a moment at the enormity of God's grace. In your own life, what is something that you can remember that someone has done to you that you find nearly impossible to forgive? Or better, what have you done that you can't forgive yourself for? Maybe you can't forgive, but God can and more. God's grace will give you the ability to forgive the unforgiveable. God offers us all grace beyond measure.
Because of humanity's sin, and our individual sins, God sent His Son as a perfect sacrifice. Humanity rejected His Son and put Him to death on a cross. Jesus's resurrection made a way for each of us through the grace of God to return to Him and have a life with Him.
God's grace is totally undeserved. Our greatest gift is His grace. Our sin, any sin, separates us from God, but His Son gave His life for us to be able to be in relationship with the Father through the gift of His grace and forgiveness. Understanding that we need His grace is the first step.
Thanks be to God for the greatest gift of all - the gift of grace.
Our prayer today Father is that we understand our need for your grace and that we give grace to others as it was given to us. Amen.
Be blessed with Chris Tomlin's song: Amazing Grace (my chains are gone).
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