God’s grace – Page 2

We Have the One Thing We Need

September 10, 2015 by Ellen 14 Comments

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you…” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Look at this! I need it. It would really help me. Oooh, look, if I had that I’d be set!

If I had the confidence (or brains, looks, opportunities, money, time, health) that she/he has, I could do so much. If I had this ONE thing. THE thing that would make life easier and better, I could soar like an eagle!

Imagine now if I had all that. The danger would be that I would think I was all that. Puffed up with pride, I would be walking around confident in my own strength and abilities. I would be “Miss Thang” in all her glory. I wouldn’t need help from anyone or anything. I would only need myself.

The apostle Paul had a “thorn in his flesh” that was so painful he called it a “messenger of Satan.” Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly what the thorn was, but it was a physical pain that caused Paul much distress. If he could just get rid of that one thing he would be healthy, pain free and able to continue his ministry. He begged Jesus three times for it to be removed.

“Please Lord, remove this pain! Please! Please!”

And Jesus simply told him “My grace is sufficient for you…”

What’s your One Thing? The one thing that never seems to come your way. The thing you can’t seem to grasp. What one thing would make the hard days bearable? What would your life be like if you had it? Easier? More productive? Would you be boldly confident in your own abilities?

As followers of Christ, we have the one thing we need. And that is His grace. It is sufficient for all our needs, all our trials and every difficult situation in which we find ourselves.

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines sufficient like this: enough to meet the needs of a situation or a proposed end.

His grace is sufficient to meet all our needs; it is sufficient for every situation; and it is sufficient to carry us through to His proposed outcome. His gracious power overcomes our every weakness.

When you are fearful, His grace will be your courage. When you don’t know, His grace will be your wisdom. When you are weak, His grace is your power. When you think you can’t take one more step, His grace will carry you.

I don’t naturally tend to rely on the grace of Christ, do you? I tend towards stubbornness, independence and self-sufficiency. But I have had trials and thorns in my flesh that bring me to the end of myself. That’s when I remember: His grace is sufficient.

Let’s bury this scriptural truth deep in our hearts and let it whisper to our souls:
His grace is sufficient…His grace is sufficient.

Rest in Jesus, The All Sufficient One. Walk confidently in the grace of Christ, knowing it is all you need.

Until next week,

Joining these lovely writers. Be sure to visit their pages, you’ll be encouraged!

Suzie Eller, Live Free Thursday

Kelly at Purposeful Faith

Holly at Testimony Tuesday

Crystal at Intentionally Pursuing the Heart of God

Winter at Words with Winter

Jennifer at Tell His Story

Grace and the Good Samaritan

September 3, 2015 by Ellen 12 Comments

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us…” Ephesians 1:7-8a (NASB)

I shrieked at him, pounding his desk with my tightly clenched fist. I was trying to make a point. I felt entitled to my sense of outrage, and wanted him to know. It was quite an exclamation mark.

Did I mention he was my boss? I screamed at my boss. AND pounded his desk.

What was I thinking? Obviously, I wasn’t.

When five o’clock rolled around, I rushed out the door, eager to be in the peace and quiet of my home.

A few minutes after pulling onto the highway, my tire started to scream. And then:

THA-THUMP THA-THUMP THA-THUMP.

It had gone flat.

On a busy highway.

With no shoulder.

Many people would say I got what was coming to me; that God was teaching me a lesson for my childish behavior.

I definitely learned something: He gives grace.

A mile or so down the road, I pulled onto a side street. That’s where I met my good Samaritan. His name was BJ. I called him Grace. Only in my mind, though. I didn’t want him to think I was a crazed psycho lady.

He happily and (almost) joyously changed my tire. Sweat poured down his face, and as he worked, he told me the story of his mom’s car trouble a few weeks back. A kind soul had stopped to help her. BJ was just doing the same.

To him, it was no big deal. But I saw God’s extravagant grace poured out over me. A wonderful gift given when I least deserved it.

Ephesian 1:7 says that through the blood of Jesus, we have been freed from our sins and forgiven of our failures. All this because of His overflowing kindness toward us. Christ is God’s gift of grace to us. We admit our need for Him, accept His forgiveness and turn away from our sins. This opens the floodgates for Him to pour His lavish grace on us.

I’m amazed by His kindness and grace, aren’t you? When I should be condemned for my anger, God gives grace. When my actions deserve punishment in the worst way, He gives grace. When I hurt a loved one with my words, He gives grace. Pretty much when I’ve been a low-down-dirty-rotten dog, He pours grace upon grace over me. And He will do the same for you.

So what do we do with all this amazing grace generously showered on us? Pour it out! Let it overflow onto others. When we’ve been cut off in traffic, give grace. When the person in the express checkout has thirty items (and they’re in front of us), give grace.

It won’t always be easy. It won’t always be our first choice. It’s a battle. Lord knows I need work in this area. But when Christ’s blood poured out for me, His grace flooded over me.

And where grace floods, goodwill overflows.

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