Grace, Grace, God's Grace

There's a pond up behind our house. You get to it either by following a trail through the woods or cutting through the hillside collection of maples and beech. It's uphill both ways. But the climb is rewarding, especially when a dreary, rainy morning changes into a clear, sunny, amazing one. Just at that moment, when the sunlight hits the pond, light reflects to chase away all the gloom of dark clouds.

That's how it is with God's grace to my soul. In my awakening, I realize how merciful God is to me.

But because of his great love for us,

God, who is rich in mercy, 

made us alive with Christ

even when we were dead in transgressions—

it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:4-5

Grace is God's blessing that I didn't deserve. It's unmerited favor. It's the joy of knowing I'm forgiven from my Heavenly Father who is perfect, holy, kind, good and patient. It's God going the extra mile for me in the giving of His Son.

God made him who had no sin

to be sin for us,

so that in him we might become

the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

and

For if, by the trespass of the one man,

death reigned through that one man,

how much more will those who receive

God's abundant provision of grace

and of the gift of righteousness

reign in life through the one man,

Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:17

I hope you can visit a pond this Good Friday and think about God's amazing grace to us. Keep praying, remembering to give praise and thanks and to raise up petitions. It's to the one who sits upon the throne of grace that we pray.

Let us then approach the throne of grace

with confidence, 

so that we may receive mercy

and find grace

to help us 

in our time of need.

Hebrews 4: 16

God's grace is sufficient. Maintain your prayer life remembering grace and hope.