One morning as I woke up, the Lord asked me, “What does ‘grace’ mean to you?” I thought about it and told Him it meant not picking on others or judging them. It also means not taking to heart the hurtful things people do or say towards me, but seeing them with Your eyes, Lord, and allowing You to be the expressive response to them. It means Your favor and love to me. It means being favored and influenced by You like the moon influences the tides….flowing in and through me. It’s Your influence upon my heart and the way of seeing things from Your perspective.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. <NASB>
Romans 5:20,21 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. <NASB>
I’m reminded that eternal life is to know Him. <John 17:3> It’s knowing Him intimately….what He likes, how He thinks, what breaks His heart, how He responds…being one with Him as a Husband and wife.
Paul said in the first scripture, that he was well content with weaknesses, etc. The Lord’s power is perfected in weakness. Perfected means complete. His complete power in you and in me and when we are weak, we are strong because it is Him expressing Himself through us if we let Him.
We were at some friend’s house the other night and my dear sister said, “When are we going to stop picking on each other?!!!” I agree people…….when?
Read the whole chapter 4 of James. I’ll give you verse 1:
What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? <NASB>
When you read chapter 4, you’ll see a list of stuff that we pick from to pick on others about. I like how verse 11 starts: Do not speak against one another, brethren.
I agree with my daughter, Gabi. She says, “Mom, sometimes it’s harder to NOT say anything.”
That’s a great start, beloved ones. Be slow to slander, judge, insult and hurt each other…..just don’t. We need each other and we are not the ones to change a person’s heart, the LORD is.
Grace washes, cleanses, keeps no record of wrongs, love’s in the face of meanness and helps us to grow in Him.
Please take a moment to look at the picture above. It’s an awesome rain storm coming across western Oklahoma towards me! As I took this, I thought of Abba and His grace. It always makes me cry, because I know me and He LOVES me! His favor, mercy, love and pardon shower me……and you, beloved ones. Let’s allow Him to express His grace through us to others and be slow to speak ill of each other.
Joel 2:23b Rejoice in the LORD your God! For the rains He sends are an expression of His grace. <NLT>