Glorious Grace

My biggest hinderance to a full walk with Jesus is that I grossly underestimate the glory of grace.

FORGIVENESS – It’s easy enough for me to accept that grace means forgiveness. I am familiar with forgiveness as a human construct. I have sometimes, but not often enough, forgiven others. I have far too often than deserved, been forgiven. I understand that the forgiveness of God found in grace is a much bigger deal than human forgiveness, but I’m okay with that because I so desperately need it.

FORGET IT – It’s a bit more difficult to accept the forgetfulness of God that comes with grace. As difficult as it is for me to forgive, it is nearly impossible for me to forget. I have the memory of an elephant when it comes to slights. It seems a difficult concept that God with all his brainpower, his all-knowingness, can forget my slight stumbles and my outright rebellions. But that’s what He promises and I am surely okay with that.

FAMILY STATUS – Get this: God not only forgives and forgets, but He adopts. His grace grants inclusion into His family for those who follow his Son. He deals not only with what we have done or failed to do but with who we are. The grace of forgive-and-forget would be nothing more than an endless cycle were it not for the status-changing power of grace. That power makes it possible to be different and in that different state to be more follower and less foul.

FOCUS – This world’s big trap is its distractiveness. It can powerfully fracture our focus. I can sit in front of the TV and hours pass before I realize I have wasted my day. I can be so self-focused that I am oblivious to the hurt and need around me. I can’t follow Jesus if I can’t keep my eye on him. Grace is a focus factor. One of the attributes of our changed state is the ability to realize, focus and act upon that which is important. The world’s distractions aren’t eliminated but we are empowered to turn away, look to Him and focus on what matters.

FUEL – Grace is an energy source that enables us to do things we could never have done before. God doesn’t send his indwelling spirit because we are a comfortable place for the Spirit to rest. He comes because we need comfort for the fight and energy for the battle. I love to watch those the world considers too young, too old, too weak or too unprepared, perform the marvelous. It’s His method of amazement for when the seemingly impossible is done; one must conclude that the supernatural is at work.

Grace is great. It unchains us from our past. It supernaturalizes our nature. It prioritizes our perceptions and empowers our walk. It’s glorious.