I've been preparing for a 3 week lesson series starting tomorrow night on Grace. And every time I stop to think about the Grace of God in my life, I'm amazed at how many people just don't get grace. We gunk it up with our own preconceived notions. We do what we do best...mess things up. I remember sitting in a Youth Ministry Conference two years ago and hearing the very simple yet profound truth that grace is not an idea to be rejected, or a philosophy to be argued, or a suggestion that can be ignored. Grace is Jesus and Jesus is Grace. He is the embodiment of God's love, grace, and favor. Grace walked among us. Grace lived with us. Grace experienced every pain, disappointment, and awkward moment that we face. It wasn't just a single-solitary act lasting a few days, but a thirty-three exercise in undeserved grace. For thirty-three years the Divine lived among ants. Purity lived among disease. Perfection lived among sin.
And as I think about that the words echo in my heart "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He gave Himself fully for us, with no assurance that we would return the favor. With no guarantee that we would even acknowledge Him in our hearts and lives. Grace is completely one-sided. He came to me. He found me. I bring nothing to the table. And that is what makes His grace amazing!
