Grace

What is your understanding of Grace? Does it absolutely humble you? Have you completely bent your knee under the understanding that you do not deserve the grace that has been dealt you?

Grace is given so we can magnify Christ's goodness. It is not given so we can decide what we think fair is. We do not want to ask for fair. We wouldn't want fair... we deserve eternal damnation for our willing rebellion against our good God. So getting what we deserve is not what I am after... I am after a deeper appreciation of grace. Let me point to a couple scriptures that help me to understand this:

"it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:5-8).

"he did this [namely extended grace] to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory- even us, whom he also called..." (Romans 9:23-24).

"then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:

"Worthy is the lamb, who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" 

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in them, singing:

"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!""

All of eternity we are going to look on The Lamb who was slain because of our sin and we are going to worship Him because He so graciously set His affections on us and made a way. We will not boast in heaven save the cross of Christ. There will be no ground to stand on save the ground of the Cross. The only boast and the only praise will be so intimately tied to the work of the Cross that to boast on your own achievements would be to emulate the Great Serpent. We are going to sing the song of the slaughtered Lamb that conquered death and stands! If that doesn't make your heart leap for joy then beg God that he would open your blind eyes to see the beauty and beg him to fibrillate your dull heart. When grace conquers it fills with joy and praise. Are you experiencing the riches of his kindness and magnification of the One who is Worthy because he had mercy on someone so unfit for mercy... you and I. Lord, I am a sinner. Lord have mercy on me. Let grace dwell in me deeply.

The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom’s face;
I will not gaze at glory
But on my King of grace.
Not at the crown He giveth
But on His pierced hand;
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Emmanuel’s land.

God help us to marvel at the King of Grace. Help us to appreciate what He achieved for us at great cost on Calvary. Prepare us for our role of eternal celebration. Cultivate in us a spirit of gratitude.