even greater grace

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,  Freely bestowed on all who believe!  You that are longing to see His face,  Will you this moment His grace receive?

(part of the hymn Grace Greater than Our Sin by Julia H. Johnston)

Have you spent much time thinking about grace? This is not an easy concept to grasp especially when trying to comprehend the way God gives us and others His grace. Some things that come to mind about grace are: endless, hard to understand, incredible, freeing, accepting, forgiven, kind and generous.

There are other thoughts or definitions of grace, but most of them fall short of what God intends for grace to be and what grace will do. Maybe we ought just give up. We can try to grasp God’s grace. We can try to live by His grace and share His grace with others. That’s the point: we can try. We will never get there.

Titus 2:11 NLT

For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.

Romans 6:14 NLT

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

Romans 11:6 NLT

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

I long to be able to give this grace of God to the people I meet each day. Yes, I am a pastor which means there is much interaction around me with people who need God’s grace. There is nothing like talking to a person who is hurting and seeing the light bulb come on as you explain how God loves them no matter what. It is incredible when you talk to a person who has allowed their past to cripple them and share that God’s grace gives us freedom from our past.

In the last week there are some people who stand out when I think about God’s grace, yet some of these peeps just can’t get it. God’s grace seems to elude them. It’s foreign and beyond reason. Fact is, God’s grace is foreign and beyond reason to our human thinking. Grace is a God concept.

May God give us the capacity to grasp His grace, to give His grace and to help people get grounded in His grace.

NOTE: this post was originally shared in March of 2012.

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

Search This Blog