Grace to You!

In every one of Paul’s letters, he extends God’s grace to his readers. This grace comes from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s grace is unmerited favor. Through faith in Christ, God extends His mercy toward us by not giving us what we deserve as sinners in rebellion against Him. Through Christ’s death on the cross for us, He forgives us when we put our trust in Him. But God also extends His grace toward us.

If someone offends us severely, we might forgive them, but choose no longer to associate with them. But God extends His grace, His favor toward us making us His beloved children. He bestows His grace on us not because of what we’ve done, but because of who we are in Christ—His sons and daughters.

If you’re a parent, you’ve experienced the immense joy when your child came into the world. When each of our three children were born, I was bursting with love and joy over them. Our lives were suddenly consumed with caring for each of these little ones, but we did so joyfully.

The task of caring for them was not a burden. We did everything for them when they were babies because they couldn’t do anything for themselves. We served them selflessly without expecting anything in return. We didn’t love and serve them based on what they had done or could do for us. We served and loved them because of who they are. This is grace.

So it is with us when we come to trust Christ and God welcomes us into His family as His beloved children. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

God extends His grace toward us not because of what we’ve done or could do for Him, but because of who we are. Jesus said, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11) This is God’s grace.

Regarding this magnificent grace of God, the Lord says:

• “Through Christ we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” (Romans 5:2)
• “Continue in the grace of God.” (Acts 13:43)
• We want to be people who are “full of God’s grace.” (Acts 6:8)
• “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.” (2 Corinthians 6:1)
• “Live in the grace of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6)
• We should be careful not to “fall away from God’s grace.” (Galatians 5:4)
• “Be strong in the grace in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:1)
• “Let your conversation be always full of grace” (Colossians 4:6)

Grace is a relational expression. As we experience the extravagant grace of our loving heavenly Father, His grace compels us to extend His grace to others in all its various forms. And what a joy and pleasure it is to be both recipients and conduits of God’s amazing grace to others!

So, today, whatever is going on in our lives, may we take hold of the grace of God and be bathed in it, rest in it, take joy in it, and extend it to others around us.

“Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!”