Thankful Thirty – Grace is More than You Think

Sharing is caring!

What do you think about grace?

Some define it as God’s undeserved favor. Others like to say, “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.”

The dictionary says:

For Christians – The free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.

I like to make it easier than that.

Grace is God giving me what I don’t deserve, and mercy is God not giving me what I do deserve.

No one likes to think about deserving eternal punishment. Honestly, I don’t like to think about any kind of punishment. I never have…

I grew up a rule follower. A “good girl.” So, I never wanted to think about not being good enough. I grew up in church. I went to parochial school. I worked hard to do it right and my pursuit of perfection followed me into adulthood.

But—the truth is I wasn’t good enough. Not even close.

And then I listened to a big lie. On the surface it didn’t look like a sin. Most people wouldn’t call it a sin, but I knew. I knew it wasn’t obedience! And the truth hit me hard. My good wasn’t good enough. It never had been.

That’s when I stopped thinking of grace as a band-aid for my slip ups and I took a long focused look at my heart. AND – I fell on my face.

That’s what happens when you come face to face with Jesus. When you look at yourself in light of who He is . . . you fall.

And He lifts. He’s the only one who can.

He gently takes faces in His hands and says look into these eyes – they love you. They have always loved you. He lifts the one who has finally realized how undeserving they are and He says this is grace. For you.

Max Lucado wrote this about grace:

“You may be decent. You may pay taxes and kiss your kids and sleep with a clean conscience. But apart from Christ you aren’t holy. So how can you go to heaven? Only believe. Accept the work already done, the work of Jesus on the cross.

Accept the goodness of Jesus Christ. Abandon your own works and accept His. Abandon your own decency and accept His. Stand before God in His name, not yours.

It’s that easy? [Wait] There was nothing east about it at all. The cross was heavy, the blood was real, and the price was extravagant. It would have bankrupted you or me, so He paid it for us. Call it simple. Call it a gift. But don’t call it easy.

Call it what it is. Call it grace.” ~from A Gentle Thunder

I’m thankful for grace. Grace that changes everything . . . that makes faith possible.

“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” ~Martin Luther

Father, Thank you for the gift of grace. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you for making a plan of your children and following through with it. A plan that is simple, but not easy. Forgive me for all my “good girl” foolishness. Forgive me for making light of Your grace. Forgive me for not understanding Your love. Forgive me for failing to simply trust and obey. Help me Father. I know Your ways, plans, and purposes are perfect. Help me live in ways that show how much I love You. Help my life to give You glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

Sharing is caring!