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My view of Grace is ever evolving like I
said yesterday. Being a teacher, when I don't know enough about something I
tend to research it like crazy until I feel satisfied that I have exhausted all
avenues to finding out more about said thing.
According to Webster's Grace is the exercise
of love, kindness, compassion, mercy, favor; a disposition to benefit or serve
another.
This definition may sound basic but
sticking with the whole idea of simplicity to combat the complexity of the
world we live in, this dictionary definition is certainly helpful when trying
understand Grace.
For myself the definition is lacking in
that it does not mention or make any indication of where Grace came from
originally. From a biblical standpoint Grace comes from God. It is God
giving us his love, kindness, mercy, and favor.
Even with all of this I still find myself
asking what is Grace? And I realized, maybe this Grace thing is up to
interpretation a little...
I really appreciate the following
explanation, partially because I too have a two year old and also because this
just really sums up my "view" of Grace. And the Rev. David Rogers
Ph.D. is far more eloquent in his definition than I could ever be...
"Grace is a
free-will gift of love from an Everlasting, Eternal, Self-Existent God who
loves Man so greatly as to punish Himself rather than His children. All that He
requires is that we love Him, trust Him, and obey Him. It is much like me
telling my son in his toddler years to not touch something because it is hot
and I get burned in the process. And, all I tell my son is don't do that you
will get burned. Jesus took my place... Grace is His bearing me up when life is
difficult. Grace is two sets of footprints in the sand when I need a friend and
one set when I can no longer bear up because He carries me. Grace is not a
thing to be possessed or demanded. Grace is the free gift of His good pleasure
in acts designed to assist and bless Man. Grace is not a substance. Grace is an
action from a loving Father who is God..." Credit
Nothing
I could do would make God love me less and nothing I could do could make him
love me more. He just loves me--unconditionally, unfailingly, infinitely. So if
God just freely hands out this gift, why am I not also freely extending this
gift to those around me? God tells us to be like him "for it is written:
"Be holy, because I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). To grow closer to him we
are called to be more like him. With that being said I need God's Grace
the most when I am aware of areas in my life that are not going as they
probably should. With this incredible Grace comes incredible responsibility.
Grace is something I could and should be extending more openly.
I know that I like it when
others show me Grace. I like to feel loved and to know that when I have done
something wrong or hurt someone I won't be yelled at. I appreciate when people
are patient with me when I do something in a way different then they had
intended. I want to know that when I make a mistake it will not be held against
me.
If we want to be treated
like this then why do we not offer this on a regular basis to others? Because
its difficult, stressful, daunting, and sometimes discouraging. But:
"Grace
comes in all different shapes and sizes. Even the messy ones."
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