Amazing Grace

 "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' " 2 Corinthians 12:8-9...."What would the world learn about grace just by studying us?" Sheila Walsh

Sometimes I wonder if most of us have little more than "bumpersticker faith." You know, those Bible verses, quotes, and faith utterances that we like to put on our cars. We like to think of them as personal testimonies, and a witness to those who don't know Him. They certainly can be that, and He can use them to plant seeds in a person's life, but I don't think the Father is depending upon our vehicles and stickers to be the witness to His life and grace. He's looking to us. A thousand cars bearing a thousand stickers will not even begin to make the impression of one person living fully in and depending upon His matchless grace. So, Walsh's question is staring us in the face. What would the world learn about grace simply by studying our lives? Your life and mine?

Paul was in distress. Scripture doesn't tell us what His affliction was, but it was severe. So much so that he begged the Lord to take it from Him. The Father declined. He told him that His grace, His loving presence, power, and strength, would be enough for Him. More, He would use Paul's response to His affliction to show a watching world and church how, even in the midst of the deepest pain, His grace, which we can't even begin to understand the depths of, would be enough. Indeed not enough, but more than enough. Paul could bear his affliction because he would have the overwhelming sense of His presence, His comfort, and His power. Power that would enable Paul to rise above His suffering, and live victoriously even in the midst of great difficulty. Those who witnessed his life would witness just how magnificent the grace of God really is.

In Christ, we are saved from the penalty of sin, but not it's effects. We will face suffering, loss, pain, and hardship. Yet, He calls us to live not as a world without hope does, but as those who have a living hope in Him. What enables us to do so in the face of the greatest losses is His grace. Grace that is unceasingly reaching for us, pouring through us, and carrying us along when we are sure we lack the strength to take even one more step. Such is His amazing grace.

John Newton, a former slave trader, liver of a totally debauched life, and who admitted to once trying to think of new ways to blaspheme the name of God, was, by His free grace, gloriously saved. The result was his writing the most loved hymn ever written, "Amazing Grace." The lyric, "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me." Newton knew his wretchedness apart from Him. A wretchedness that all who are apart from Christ share. Totally undeserving of His grace, yet receiving it. Someone asked, "How wretched must we be before His grace cannot reach us?" On this side of eternity, I don't believe there is such a place. So, wherever we may be right now, His grace reaches out to us. His grace. His amazing grace. Greater than all our sin. Greater than all our need. Greater than all that can ever come against us. Thank you Father for Your amazing grace.

Blessings,

Pastor O