Thankful Day 5- Grace

I am thankful for Grace.

I once didn’t know who God was.  I didn’t know until God showed me there's more to this life than working hard, marking a name for myself, and trying to keep my ever feeble body healthy. 

Ephesians 2:1-8: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following he prince of power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- now at work in the sons of disobedience- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like the rest of man kind.”

I was once dead spiritual and by nature children of wrath.  Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.”

There is nothing I could do by on my own to earn God’s love or grace because if it was by my efforts, it wouldn’t work.  I am dead in my trespasses and fall short of God. It’s like I am dead at the bottom of the ocean, not floating on a raft, and God saved me and gave me life.  All his doing and none of my doing.

BUT God….

Ephesians 2:8-10: “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were death in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

This reminds me it’s not of me, but ALL by his Grace.  His sacrifice is a gift from the Lord.  He is rich in mercy and gives me life. I didn’t have my act together first and then God saved me.  I didn’t do nice things for other people and then God saved me.  I didn’t have my life in order and then God saved me.  It was through his grace and sacrifice. I am thankful. 

Ephesians 2:13: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

I cannot earn his love, He freely gives it to me as a gift from him. 

I am now:

A new Creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17- “ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Not rule following but a changed heart. Galatians 3:13,14: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”- So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.”

Freedom. Galatians 5:13- “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another.”

This grace makes me walk different in my daily life.  There is no greater strength or a firmer foundation than the perfect, powerful gospel of Jesus Christ. As I strive to be a loving wife and mom, a encouraging friend, and love others around me, it’s not in my ability but by the grace and love that has been given to me. As I walk deeply in knowing the Lord, these things fall into place.  These are gifts from the Lord.  They are ultimately His and I get to participate in what He is doing in their lives.  I can only do this by God’s grace he has bestowed upon me. 

So thankful for Grace.