Where in the world would any of us be without grace?
The older I get (having just turned 41 yesterday) the more I realize how valuable grace really is. I can’t begin to imagine how much grace has been shown to me as a child, student, friend, pastor, husband, father, friend and Christian. Today, I sit here with a thankful heart for having been shown so much grace. For without it I would have been deemed a failure in every area of my life, but instead was given new opportunities which allowed for me to grow and succeed.
Think about that. What if grace had not been extended, and all we got is what we deserved? I’m not sure any of us would be where we are today. As we read the bible it is filled with one story after another of people who experienced the grace of God in “Huge” doses.
I want to encourage you to sit down and read the words of David as he gives us a very clear picture of the God we serve. David understands the grace that has been given to him and wants to shout it out from the mountain tops.
Wow!
- Forgives ALL our sins
- Compassionate healer
- Redeems us from the pit
- Gracious
- Slow to anger
- Abounding in love
Along with David, all I can say is “Praise the Lord..Praise the Lord...Praise the Lord."
How about you?
I am honestly speechless as I sit here and type, realizing this is the God I serve. His grace is so refreshing and so amazing.
As I close I would like to share with you a story of how refreshing grace can feel and be:
Some 15 years ago I spent 2 weeks over in the Ukraine on a missions trip. It was a wonderful and eye opening experience. There were many ways in which I was challenged, but not being able to bathe for much of the time was the hardest. I remember on the way home we had a one night layover in Vienna, Austria. After checking into our hotel, the first thing I did was run up stairs, turn on the shower, and for the next 30 minutes I sat underneath the shower head that brought, fresh, warm water and watch as all the dirt left my body, making its way down the drain. I can't tell you how good that shower felt and how refreshed I was afterward.
The grace of God is better than this.
We enter into his presence with all of our dirt and filth and HE provides a shower of grace that removes all the bad choices we have made right down the drain. We then go out, renewed and restored, to take on the new day before us.
Maybe it's time for you to go and take a shower?
I thank you God...
