As I enter into my 35th year of life I look back on the first 34. I can’t recall all of them. I do recall moments that have shaped me into who I am. Even as a young child the events that occurred helped mold me. Like I said in my last post, I am a work in progress.

But God has graced me all my life, just as He has graced you. Even at conception I was graced because He allowed it to happen.  That is really where my life began.  With each good and bad event that occured, His grace has gotten me through.  Even when I did not recognize it or appreciate it, His grace has been there.

Often times it is hard to see His grace.  When we are in the heat of the moment all we see is the moment.  When we get out of our troubles we may recognize it was Him with us, carrying us all along.  We may not.  Often times I recall I just felt I got through things by luck.  Often times I felt good things happened to me because of luck.  Yes, things usually work out with out a logical reason.  I have come to find the reason is God’s grace.

Everyday of life is a new day.  It is a new day given to us by God.  No matter what we did the day before, we have a chance to be new.  We are made new through Jesus Christ.  His grace washes us so we can be clean.  This is a gift that does not have to be earned.  But what I need to do is obey.

My parents raised me with grace.  They had rules and I had to follow them.  When I disobeyed I would be punished.  The rules they set out were not to hurt me, but were to protect me.  They did not punish me unjustly or exceedingly.  They understood that I was a kid and I was going to make mistakes.  I learned from my mistakes and knew I did not like to be punished.  I respect and love them for their graceful love and discipline.

God is the ultimate parent.  His grace knows no ends.  Does this mean we can do anything we want?  No.  God wants us to obey Him.  He has set rules to help us, not to hurt us.  They are not guidelines, they are commands. But God knows we mess up.  We are His kids and He knows it is hard to be in this world.  There are evil things that lead us astray from His commands and tell us we can do whatever we want.  Evil asks us “Did God really say you couldn’t do_______?”  Evil wants us to question God and all God wants is for us to trust Him.  This is how the serpant got Eve to take the fruit.  He posed a question.  He didn’t say “Eat this.”  He made her question God’s command and love.

How many of us question God’s commands?  How many of us question God’s love?  How many of us buy the lies of the world that we ourselves can be gods and can do what we please as long as we are good people?  Then we use our own measuring stick to define “good”.  I can answer that I have done all of the above.  Even as a believer I find my mind drifting to “Did God really say that?”  In those times I find the answer.  Where?  In His Word.  Along with the great gift of grace God gave us through His son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, God gave us His Word in the form of the Bible.  I know some do not read the Good News and may never, but I encourage you to start.  If you don’t know where to start there are versions that can guide you.  If you are afraid to start because you do not want to be told what to do, do not be afraid.  The Bible is not about that.

It is a book that points to the very gift that is blog post set out to be about.  It can’t be earned.  It can’t be bought.  It can’t even be made.  It is given and all we have to do is receive it.  GRACE!

The Bible is about God’s grace.  To receive it all we have to do is believe in the One who was sent here, who the Bible points to, who gave himself for everyone, who was and is and is yet to come.

Christ Jesus.

Thank You for Your amazing Grace.

May your life be filled with grace both given and recieved.