“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” — Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
“From the fullness of His grace, we have received one blessing after another.” — John 1:16 (NIV)
“But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone … but I went away into Arabia.” — Galatians 1:15-17b (ESV)
On the front page of a church bulletin, the senior pastor penned these words of God’s grace: “Where the LESS than perfect are MORE than welcome.” God’s exceedingly rich attribute of grace is unfathomable, flowing out from His infinite heart. God in His goodness yearns to bless us, even though we don’t deserve it. Jesus is the channel through which God’s grace flows. Grace is released into our lives when we humbly admit that we aren't as good, capable and faithful as we like to think we are. When we surrender control of our lives by faith to God’s Gospel of grace, we begin to experience the freedom that Jesus paid for us by His death on the cross. When we believe Jesus is enough, our hearts are open to receive all the grace He offers. The freer we are in acknowledging the messes of our lives, the greater His grace abounds as we come in prayer to His throne. The emptier we are, the more He keeps filling our lives from His fullness — providing grace upon grace, and blessing upon blessing.
The golden thread of God’s grace is woven throughout history, where it can be tangibly traced in Scripture. The amazing grace God showed Noah (Genesis 6:8) and Moses (Exodus 33:17) is still exhibited today. Of all the biblical testimonies to God’s grace, Paul’s is a standout. God illuminated his heart with the truth of who He is, and Saul went from persecutor of Jesus to Paul the preacher of Jesus. Apostle Paul was called by God at an appointed time in history to advance His Word throughout the world. To make significant Kingdom impact, Paul realized that spending time alone with His Savior was essential. Therefore, after his encounter with the Living God, we read that Paul went to Arabia for three years, where Jesus prepared him to become one of the greatest examples of God’s grace.
We, too, need to set apart time alone with Jesus to get to know His heart and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. As we spend our First 20 with Him, seeking Jesus in the Scriptures, we can pray through the promises of God, which all have their “Yes” in Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:20) Spending unhurried time listening to His voice, we can journal our reflections. Then we’re able to look back on the blessings of His glorious grace. Good habits aren’t created overnight, but all good things come to us as gifts through God’s grace.
God has a plan for each of us. As we continue to spend intentional time daily with Him in prayer and worship, He will make our purpose clear, and we’ll grow in His grace. The more deeply we get to know God through intimate fellowship, the more His grace is multiplied to us. By choosing to let God make us vessels into which He keeps pouring His grace, our lives will be transformed to become more like Him. Responding to His bountiful grace with overflowing gratitude, we’ll be blessed with His true joy and the peace of His presence.
Our God hears!
Barb Wibling