Grace

Grace

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Ephesians 2:8, NIV

Grace is the favor and kindness of God shown to us in spite of the fact that we don’t deserve it. Grace cannot be purchased or earned because it is a gift. But like any gift, it can’t be appreciated or experienced unless it is accepted. When we accept God’s grace by faith, we become victorious, generous, courteous, and strong.

We are victorious because we have already been raised from the grave of sin and seated with the risen Lord. Sadly, we often forget that we have received this gift of victory over our sinful nature.

We are generous because we have received God’s gift of grace, and we want to follow his example. I remember one year when my dad shared one of his bonuses from work with all four of us children. He didn’t have to, but in his gratitude he wanted to. When we receive God’s grace, we feel the same way—we want to share it with others.

God’s grace makes us courteous. Because God has not been critical and angry with us, we avoid being that way with others.

Finally, God’s grace makes us strong. The beauty of God’s strength is that it is made perfect in our weakness. God’s strength was shown through giving sight to a blind man and through David’s small sling, and it can be exhibited in our weakness when we present ourselves as vessels of his grace.

Because of God’s gracious gift to us—his Son—we can share the blessings of victory, generosity, courtesy, and strength in our interactions with our children, our husbands, and our friends. God’s grace makes us rich!

Father,

The more we get to know you, the more we appreciate your grace. Thank you for your indescribable gift! Amen.