Well, what is it? We know it is greater than all our sin! We know God gives more grace when we need it most. We know Grace's companion is Peace as we find them together in the New Testament most often. We have written hundreds of songs about Grace. Preached thousands of sermons about Grace. Heard illustration after illustration about grace. I even named my daughter Grace! Yet, after reading so much about it, writing so much trying to describe it, and singing more songs every day about it...we still don't understand it.
When a loved one dies, we know God will give grace. When a trial overwhelms a brother, we pray and ask God for more grace on their behalf. When a sinner gets saved, we rejoice in grace! In God's Word we are to grow in grace, be given grace, have grace multiplied, stand in grace, receive grace, and not fail grace. We read that grace was given to us before the world began. We are saved and justified by grace. God is rich in grace, and grace is a gift from Him. We are to sing with grace, speak with grace, and serve with grace.
We've all heard our man made definitions: God's Riches At Christ's Expense; unmerited favor, or getting what we don't deserve. All are good attempts at defining it. You know what I've decided? I can't define it. I can't describe it. I can't illustrate it justly.
But I can LIVE IT! The key to it all is yielding to the Holy Spirit of God. As I yield to Him, I can live God's grace. I was saved when I yielded to the Spirit's conviction. I serve in grace when I yield my members and am filled with the Holy Ghost. I sing in grace when the Word of God dwells in me richly. I can speak in grace when the Spirit of God has control of my tongue.
What is the result of this grace? Peace, joy, thanksgiving, and hope will fill my life.
The opposite of grace is the law. I've been teaching this week through the book of Galatians. This is the main theme of this book. The members of the churches of Galatia had been saved by grace but false teachers had come in demanding they adhere to obedience to the law or their salvation was void. Paul starts his letter and ends his letter the same way: "GRACE". I've never understood how one could believe in a works salvation or that they could lose their salvation and at the same time sing about His grace.
Our lives are all about His grace. My salvation, my service, my family, my ministry, my wife, my children, my office, my health, my smile today, my children's laugh, my friends, my peace, my song, my everything is all because of God's grace.
I give up trying to figure it out. All I know is that His grace is sufficient for me! (and you!)
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