“We have all benefited from . . one gracious blessing after another.” John 1:16 NLT
“Grace comes to you with no strings attached, reflecting God’s character not your conduct.”
My thoughts today are about “grace so amazing.”
It is frighteningly easy to take daily blessings for granted, as though they are somehow earned and deserved. Sometimes, we are quick to note what we think we should have and don’t, slower to recognize so much we do have beyond what we deserve. Such a lapse of recognition has deadening effect on one’s sense of appreciation. Have you done a blessing inventory lately? Take a moment now.
You have more for which to be grateful than you imagine. Life and love alone would be enough, yet God has given you so much more – salvation, His presence, direction, provision, forgiveness, protection – and then consider also the kindness and goodwill of family and friends who provide you companionship, regard, counsel, assistance, availability, and more.
Yet something in human nature seems averse to feeling indebted. Indebted means obligated, and that is not comfortable for most. We seem to prefer believing that what we receive has been fairly gained by our own efforts, abilities, and hard work. But much of that would not come our way with the grace of God and the generosity of others.
In the familiar shepherd’s Psalm, David affirms “Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 NLT. That confidence was David’s expectation, not because he could demand or earn goodness and mercy, but exactly because he received such from the benevolent hand of God. Long ago, I heard someone define goodness as “receiving what you could not have deserved,” and mercy as “not receiving what you did and do deserve!” I have experienced both in boundless measure, but the latter has been needed most. Along with King David, with both faith and flaws, I too rejoice in the blessings of goodness and mercy from God and others. More than that, I depend upon those for the well-being I enjoy!
“For out of Christ’s fullness we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] one grace after another, and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, and even favor upon favor, and gift [heaped] upon gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, grace [unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing] and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:16-17 Amplified Bible. When you learn of grace so amazing does your heart expand with joy and thankfulness? It should!
God’s grace comes to you with no strings attached; what He does and gives is not at all the result of who you are. God’s response toward you of “one grace after another” is God being true to His character, not His rewarding your conduct. “The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly before Him . . much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through . . Jesus Christ.” Psalm 84:11/Romans 5:17 NKJV. I close my comments today with the words closing the New Testament and summing up all that was written before them, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Revelation 22:21 NKJV.
My prayer for you today is this: experience and express the sufficiency of God’s grace.