When was the last time you were amazed by God’s grace? God’s grace is an unstoppable force that blesses, favors, empowers, and enables us to receive His salvation. It positions us to receive the storehouse of blessings He has stockpiled for His children, both in this life and the next.
The apostle Paul wrote about God’s grace extensively in his epistle to the Romans. In chapter six, Paul contrasts the slavery to sin with the freedom to righteous and holy living that is purchased and offered to us through God’s grace. “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:14, NIV). Whereas humanity is held by the grip of sin, God graciously has provided freedom from sin by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One receives this freedom when they willingly accept God’s grace and submit to His Lordship. Of this, Paul says, “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness” (Rom. 6:18, NIV). The chapter concludes with Paul’s well-known statement, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23, NIV).
This is the amazing grace I recently experienced. Grace appeared and abruptly dispelled the condemnation I was feeling. Though I felt like I had failed a test by becoming impatient, discouraged, and full of doubt, the word came to me as if hurled at high speed in my direction: “There’s grace for that!” This phrase was part of an encouraging word shared with the women of my church. A member of my small group reminded us of them last week, looking directly at me from across the table. The realization of God’s amazing grace, which flows from His sovereign love and generosity, is not based on any works I could accomplish. As Paul says, “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” (Rom. 11:6, NIV). I could never earn God’s grace, nor can I exhaust it.
At first glance, grace may seem to be a simple concept. I am, therefore, amazed at how easily I forgot about its power and availability. The power of God’s grace is that it does not rely on human reasoning. Words like fair, reasonable, measured, limited, and situational do not apply to God’s amazing grace. Rather, words like amazing, merciful, abundant, infinite, and eternal are perfectly fitting.
This amazing grace is powerful. It broke through the darkness of my discouragement, doubt, and condemnation. It broke down the barrier between me and God that my shame had built. Then it again did what is truly amazing: God’s grace allowed me to experience the gift of repentance, be washed with forgiveness, and restored the relationship between me and my Savior.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 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. Eph. 2:4-9, NIV
God’s amazing grace is available every day and every moment. His infinite love is expressed through His grace, and He went to great lengths to make it available.
If it has been a minute since you have been amazed by the lavish gift of God’s grace, I pray that the “incomparable riches of his grace” overwhelms you this week. I pray that you fully experience the freedom, blessing, empowerment, and favor that accompany God’s grace.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.
(From the hymn: Marvelous Grace of our Loving Lord, by Julia H. Johnston, 1910)