Delighting in the Beauty of Grace
Do you remember a time you received something you didn’t deserve?
Maybe an officer gave you a warning instead of the speeding ticket you know you well deserved. Or maybe someone helped you out financially and you knew there was no way you could pay them back.
Grace is a glorious gift. Something none of us deserve. Sometimes though, it can be difficult to grasp and appreciate grace in our lives.
I distinctly remember a canvas painting I had sitting on my desk that read “saved by grace.” For the longest time it sat there and I’d look at it. But its meaning collected dust.
I saw myself as a good person. So why would anyone need to extend grace towards me?
I got good grades, I followed the rules, I had people who respected me. The concept of receiving something I had no right to earn didn’t sink in.
Until I made a mistake. When I messed up in a way that I could barely come to terms with myself on.
Can you recall the first time you did something and shame or guilt followed? Or perhaps you felt the need to cover up what you did so no one would discover it?
The only reason we would be so inclined to hide our actions or thoughts is if we did something that was wrong. And this, my friend, is where grace comes into play. Because in order to obtain something we don’t deserve, there needs to be a reason we don’t deserve it.
At our core, we are all inherently sinful and wicked. We love gratifying our cravings and indulging in pleasures.
From the little white lie, to not standing up for someone being ridiculed, to lashing out in anger, all the way to the heinous act of murder, it’s all sin. All things we are capable of committing.
It’s not a popular topic to discuss in our culture, and unfortunately, it’s becoming an undervalued doctrine within the Christian church as well.
But this doctrine is paramount because it changes the course of everything. It provides us with the knowledge of who we are, who God is, and the outcome of partaking in the fruits of sin.
The moment we grasp the weightiness of our sin and the evil that lies within us, we can acknowledge our need for saving.
Then we can delight in the beauty of grace! A gift none of us deserve. And yet, the Lord made a way to receive grace through the death and resurrection of Jesus. There truly is no need to stay in this helpless state. Rather, we can experience an abundant life. One marked by good fruit, covered in love, peace, kindness, service, humility, devotion, faithfulness, truth, integrity, and more. Because God promises that all who call upon the name of the Lord in repentance and belief are saved.
For it is by grace you have been saved and not by works so that no one can boast. There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn salvation and nothing we can ever do to increase our merit.
Despite our depraved state, God in His lavish love extends grace to us.
Leave a 🤍if you’re grateful for God’s grace despite our sin!