A Breathtaking Verse

 “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another” (John 1:16.) Grace is a gift.  Our heavenly Father is the giver. We don’t earn grace. We don’t deserve it. We don’t bring it about.

I used to believe God reserved blessings for deserving people. That the most deserving received bigger blessings!  That a person’s merit persuaded God. If my prayer life impressed God, if I attended church, memorized Scripture, or read my Bible, I could earn a heap of blessings.

 Then I discovered some breathtaking truths about grace. They crushed my humanistic ideas. God’s grace exceeds reason and logic. His generous blessings reach beyond my computation. If I am to embrace and enjoy His infinite goodness, I must stop believing that I must earn it.

Yet, God’s grace is not cheap! Grace cost God the extravagant price of His Son’s blood. Jesus’ blood sacrifice was the ransom price to redeem us from Satan. God gave His first and His best. He didn’t wait for us to become good enough before dying for us!

Scripture gives another reason God extends extravagant grace.

At a wedding, the wine ran out before the celebration did. What a social embarrassment! So Jesus’ mother offered her Son’s services. “Do whatever He tells you,” she told the servants.

Jesus changed 180 gallons of water into “choice wine” after the guests had “too much to drink.” By now they expected to drink “cheaper wine.” Instead, the “already blessed” guests enjoyed an abundance of the choice wine. (John 2)

 Imagine the disciples’ awe. Their jaws must have dropped. Why did God demonstrate this outlandish act of grace? Scripture answers. To “reveal His glory.” (John 2:11)  

 The LORD defined His glory to Moses in Exodus 34:6. “Compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”Now, Jesus’ first miracle, and an act of grace, illuminates His glory. Consequently, Jesus’ disciples put their faith in Him.

 “Grace is treating a person without the slightest reference to what they deserve, but solely according to the infinite goodness and sovereign purpose of God.” (C. Samuel Storms) 

Grace…it’s one of the most beautiful words.

Is your heart enthralled by grace?  Have you grasped the truth that every good thing we have comes to us by the grace of God? Then let us show our gratitude. Let us put our faith in Him and live a God-honoring life.