This season has been particularly hard. Many times, it is
all I can do to awake from my slumber to face the challenges of the day. The
Lord has been so good to me this week as He gently reminded me of His grace.
We know grace to be that attribute that is part of the
manifold of God’s love. God deals with us not on our merit or worthiness, or on
what we deserve—our lives consistently displaying our fallenness. He deals with
us on the basis of His goodness and generosity. God’s grace supplies us with
undeserved favor—grace is a precious, beautiful gift. We cannot earn it and we
do not deserve it.
Grace, however, goes beyond undeserved favor. The New
Testament book of Luke describes Jesus as having “the grace of God upon Him”
{Luke 2:40} and as “growing in grace with God and man” {Luke 2:52}. Many more references
to grace are found in the Book of Acts. The good Doctor Luke makes a strong
association between grace and power. Grace is often linked with the power of
God to create spiritual life and to sustain Christians. Grace, in the New Testament,
“God’s unmerited favor,” has a new aspect added to mean power in the Spirit.[1] In many of Paul’s writings; {Rom.
1:5; 12:6; 15:15; I Cor. 3:10; Gal. 2:9; Eph. 2:2,7} it means the power and
equipment for ministry.[2] Grace is the power to do what
you cannot do for yourself.
I have worked so hard at trying to make things change and
happen in my own strength—which explains my weariness. Working in our own strength
will drain us and deplete us of any life. We must rest in Him and allow Him to
do the work for us. This does mean that we become complacent waiting for Him to
do something, we must abide in His presence through the Word and prayer and
allow Him to fill us with His grace; remembering always to cultivate a heart of
worship. Through His grace this week I have been able to face the challenges
and the hard times knowing that He is my strength and is working everything
according to His purpose.
Rest in His grace this sabbath weekend. He is waiting to fill
you with grace to empower you to run the race. Oh,
and when you rest in Him, He will refresh you to overflowing and bring you to a
place of rest from the storm.
When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will
become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with
blessings {Psalm 84:6}.
Read all about Grace in the 11th edition of SHINE Magazine and you can order one here
Read all about Grace in the 11th edition of SHINE Magazine and you can order one here
[1]
Walter A. Elwell ed., Baker Theological Dictionary of the Bible, s.v. “grace,”
(Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996), 314.
[2]
W.E. Vine, ed., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old And New Testament Words,
s.v. “grace,” (Nashville: Thomas Nelson), 500.
