Are you enjoying the grace of God in your life? Have you considered the various dimensions of His grace?
Let us first define the grace of God. It is God’s undeserved, unmerited favour to enable us to do what He created us to do, and be what He created us to be. Good works cannot earn it, bad works cannot hinder it, or grace would not be grace. It is 100% of God, His gift to us for His divine purposes, to conform us to the image of His Son.
1 Peter 4:10 declares: “As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”. The dictionary definition of manifold is – much and varied. Let us first consider then saving grace. When I entered in to salvation I first received saving grace. Jesus pardoned all my sin and I experienced pardoning grace. As my journey continued I was aware there were still old habits in my life that were not pleasing to God. I needed to embrace the truth of my failure to the Lord and ask Him for His changing grace – another dimension. Once delivered I then find I need His keeping grace daily, in order not to revert to old ways. Thank God we can experience His AMAZING GRACE every day with a humble heart of thanksgiving for His undeserved favour to us.
Every day there are issues where I need more grace for relationships, circumstances, health issues, any number of things that come my way. John1:17 declares of Jesus: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”. God has married grace and truth. If I am finding an insufficiency of His grace in my life, I need to embrace more truth regarding my lack. The Lord declares: “…..My grace is sufficient for you for My strength is made perfect in weakness”, 2 Corinthians 12:9. Our imperfections do not exclude us, they are the very credentials that God accepts in order that He may display His power and abilities through us by the life of His Son. I cannot fulfil God’s will in my own strength, works or will power. Only as I confess my need and lack to the Lord will He release the flow of His enabling grace. When I get out of the way the flow of Christ’s life can operate through me. Enabling grace is His life, His power to fulfil His will, His work…..and all for His glory! This is the mystery Paul spoke of: Christ in me the hope of glory – God’s glory! When we observe how God can use a surrendered vessel, when He proves to me that a loser can win, then I join the myriad voices who declare in wonder and worship our God of amazing grace. The timeless words of the hymn penned by John Newton: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, will ever resound in our spirit.
The grace of God is unstoppable, but I can hinder the flow by my wrong thoughts or actions.
As a steward of the grace of God, am I faithful? Arthur used to say:”I invited friends to enjoy my swimming pool of grace, but when I needed it from them, they dished it out in thimblefuls”. I need to allow God’s grace to flow unhindered through me to others. When I observe others’ failings, how do I react? If I am any different, it is only by God’s grace and hand upon my life. The danger is to subconsciously think I am better than they, but Paul deals with this. 1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you to differ from another? What do you have that you first did not receive? If you received it then why do you glory as if you had not received it?” In the previous verse Paul warns us not to think ourselves better than others. He uses the phrase “puffed up”, speaking of the danger signal of that damnable thing which God detests, man’s pride. When we receive God’s grace, as stewards of this precious gift, God requires us to share it freely with others. As the line of the song goes: “Love isn’t love till you give it away”.
The challenge is: Where in my life is the next level of grace I need for change? God’s desire for me to change is even greater than my wanting the change. His Holy Spirit will direct me to the altar of change needed. I may deceive myself that I am waiting for God, but the truth is that God is waiting for me! May we access His grace to be faithful stewards of His amazing gift.
Verse 3 of hymn Amazing Grace by John Newton
“Through many dangers toils and snares I have already come,
‘Tis grace hath brought me safe this far, and grace will lead me home.”