Grace

 Greetings to you all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

     Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”  

As a kid, I had my usual number of “cap guns.”  You put the roll of caps in and began shooting as puffs of blue smoke and sulfur filled the air.  Then came the catalog with the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun.  I had to have it and so began my sales pitch to my parents on why I needed to have, beyond all doubt, this fantastic gun.    Just like “The Christmas Story,” I received multiple lectures on how my eye would be shot out by a shot from the gun.  Now, I didn’t really “need” the gun as I can testify now.  For months I kept on pleading and the story has a good ending as I did get the gun that Christmas, shot my first BB at a frozen apple tree, the BB came back as fast  as it went out and hit me on the right temple.  I never told Mom about that.  Some things you just don’t tell as i am sure the gun would then be wrapped around the apple tree. And I would be hearing, “I told you so….” countless times..  Receiving that gift was mercy from my parents as I should have gotten another cap gun.  That’s what I deserved.  It was also grace because it was free from Mom and Dad.

     Paul begins this passage describing the mercy of God.  As human beings that for years may have scorned or even hated God, should be receiving His punishment.  We have not loved Him with all of our heart, or all of our soul, or with all of our strength nor mind.    We have violated the first  three commandments time and time again.  In thinking just about our relationship with God  and  these firs three commandments, it is plain that we are guilty.   God, however, is showing us mercy by not killing us on the spot but in fact  has poured out His grace on us.  Paul describes this wonderful grace, God’s love, as a free gift.  God has held back what  we do deserve and ins teac given us that which we do not deserve.  Merch and grace go hand in hand.  What  doI deserve in life?  Well, actually, “nothing.”  Everything I get in life is through “grace.”  Americans and perhaps the world, are bent on exercising their “rights.”  We feel that society owes us this or that because we have worked so hard for it.  God’s supreme illustration of His grace was on the cross at Calvary when John 3:16 became the prime example of grace.  May our hearts break when we think of God’s grace to us. Some have described it as “God’s Riches At Christs’ Expense.”  Praise God today for His grace.