…Out of Christ fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. – John 1:16
What is grace? Is it the belief that we have the free and unmerited favor of God? Is it the manifestation of salvation in the sinner’s life? Is grace the blessing we receive, whether expected or not? Yes, grace is all of these things. Grace is the very essence of knowing the honor and glory of God, having been in the presence of God, even unaware, and knowing that it is all going to be okay.
In his memoir book, All is Grace, Bennan Manning says this:
“My message, unchanged for more than fifty years, is this: God loves
you unconditionally, as you are and not as you should be, because
nobody is as they should be. It is the message of grace…A grace
that pays the eager beaver who works all day long the same wages
as the grinning drunk who shows up at ten till five…A grace that
hikes up the robe and runs breakneck toward the prodigal reeking
of sin and wraps him up and decides to throw a party no ifs, ands,
or buts…This grace is indiscriminate compassion. It works without
asking anything of us…Grace is sufficient even though we huff and
puff with all our might to try to find something or someone it cannot
cover. Grace is enough…Jesus is enough.”
All is grace, Manning would say, it’s there is every breath in the lungs of every person who needs it, and the truth is we all need it. Nothing is too big for grace, nor is anything too small for grace. Grace can be found each and every day as we look into the eyes of someone who needs to know they are loved by God, or in the voice telling us we are loved. From birth till final breath, and everything we may do in between this is what we need most in this life; grace and the understanding that it is already given freely and openly.
Just as God has given grace unto us, we are also called to share it in the same way with others. Truth is, however, grace is something much easier received than given. We all have moments that we are not proud, and grace is what gets us through. In the climate in which we live, it seems as though grace is far from us, but assure you it is not. Grace is as close as offering an apology, understanding someone’s anger, caring about someone’s well-being no matter the situation. Grace is the ability to offer forgiveness for words that may have been misspoken or misunderstood. Grace if found in the patients we have with leaders who are navigating unchartered waters to reopen church, businesses, society. Grace is understanding that God has loved us as flawed as we all are, and asked us to see not the flaw, but the creator in each face, for we are all made in his image of love.
May the grace of God give you peace today, and always.
Grace & Peace,
Sam