I didn’t find grace it found me!

Ephesians 2: ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

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Laughter filled the room and the pillows were strewn about the living room. It stopped when we heard a crash. We didn’t have much but the little we had was precious to my parents so the broken vase sent terror through each of us.

We crafted a plan that would surely work and got some “black electrical” tape to carefully put the pieces together.

• In the middle of my sin JESUS died for me.
• Since salvation is a gift, I can’t take credit for it.
• There is nothing that I have or do that makes GOD love me more or less.

My mother came in, quickly observed the situation and caught us in our normal lie of “I don’t know.” Disappointment fell on her face, not because of the vase, because we had lied. Her grace was mixed with anger as she taught us about truth.

GOD can’t love me more than giving me HIS SON and I know HE loves me “even though I sin” because HE died for me “in the middle of my sins.” HE gave me true grace and pardoned me from HIS eternal punishment.

I love the fact that HE created me for HIS purpose. I can choose to follow HIM or not, but I was created to “do good works” HE prepared before the foundations of the world. Imagine GOD knowing humans would sin creating a plan of redemption that I am a part of.

Yes, JESUS’ blood can cover every sin except one, the sin of rejecting JESUS as the one and only savior. GOD has a plan that includes me loving other humans so through love they abstain from rejecting HIS grace.

• GOD went out and looked for me.
• GOD found me committing sin and loved me anyway.
• GOD took the punishment for my sin.
• GOD wants me to love others so HE can do the same for them

I don’t always do GOD’s work very well. I get impatient with others especially when I’m stuck in my selfish ways. But when I do focus on the kingdom, then HE is pleased with my work and says “well done my good and faithful servant.”

• Do you think you had anything to do with GOD’s grace?
• Are you still blaming GOD for not giving you what you want?
• Can you praise HIM for forgiving you of “all” your sins?
• Can you show someone grace today?