My god is grace
Author
Faustino de JesĂşs Zamora Vargas
Summary: As children of God, we are incredibly favored and armed with His grace. Even though we may face challenges in life, the grace of the Lord helps us navigate through them. However, we must administer this grace to others by forgiving them. Forgiveness is an expression of love and an important way to show grace to others. If we have received grace from God, we should give it to others. Resentment and unforgiveness are sins that go against the humility that is required to experience God's grace. Let us offer forgiveness, be messengers of peace, and bear witness to the gospel of the grace of God.
More grace? Impossible! More inheritance? Unimaginable! We children of God are more than blessed. We are a reflection of the grace of God, incredibly favored, clothed and armed with the grace of the Lord. Even with everything, the man goes crazy and the Christian retreats occasionally in the daily way of facing life, and the world passes him (us) the account as if nothing had happened. Without the grace of the Lord on our behalf, life for the Christian would be a minefield. In this Christmas season it is opportune to talk about grace and meditate on the best way to administer it to others. We are blessed to bless.
God has not stopped speaking to us, only that we have not listened to him well or we have turned our faces the other way. Despite this we continue to receive grace upon grace of his fullness (John 1.16), which does not mean that his love justifies our iniquities and wickedness. This is not good news for those who imagine that grace covers our faults and that sin can continue to rule without hurting the Lord. He is never forgiving when it comes to sin. Never! Merciful and gracious? Forever!
One of the most beautiful ways to administer the grace that God has given us is by forgiving. Forgiveness is an expression of love and love is twinned with grace. If we have received so much of God's grace, we should give something of what we have received. "Each one of them puts the gift that he has received at the service of others, faithfully administering the grace of God in its various forms." (1 P 4.10) God's grace in our lives releases the burdens of resentment and unforgiveness. Is there a person in your life that you still haven't forgiven? Any brother in your church?
If God by his grace has forgiven us all our sins, how is it possible that we are not able to forgive with so much grace received? God says that resentment is a sin and resentment is the work of pride. Let us listen to God: "... All clothe yourselves in humility in your dealings with one another, because God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1 P 5.5). If you want to experience God's grace, be humble. It is a recipe that we must all apply. A heart that does not forgive, has not recognized the grace that was given to it by Christ, is weak and ungrateful before the Lord. Paul exhorted the Hebrews in such a way: “… it is fitting that the heart be strengthened by grace…” (Heb 13.9).
The Lord has always spoken to us. Grace was poured out on the lips of Jesus (Psalm 45.2) to give us joy, to wipe away the tears that sin produces and to encourage us in the battles of life. Through the redemptive work of Jesus we have known God's grace in a personal way. We can share that grace at Christmas in various ways. The Word says that “… the gift that came by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, abounds for all” (Ro 5.15). That is Christmas: finding in us God's sense of grace, offering forgiveness, being a messenger of peace.
Let us make Paul's words our own: “… I consider that my life has no value for myself, as long as I finish my career and carry out the service that the Lord Jesus has entrusted to me, which is to bear witness to the gospel of the grace of God ”(Acts 20:24).
God bless you!
Suggested Reading: Psalm 45