what is grace?
08 Jun 2011 25 Comments
in about grace, encouragement for the journey, life abundant.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5, niv)
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so, i think i know what i want to study from the bible here this summer.
as you know, grace is my favorite attribute of god and the beat of my own heart. from the deep places of my soul, i earnestly believe there’s no more important -or misunderstood (misguided?)- message we as children of god can more inherently receive in our bones than the one of god’s grace.
it has not left me that my friend sweet sugar-lumpkins put in a request to learn more about grace here in this community.
when we had the discussion about simply studying the word of god a few weeks ago, my thoughts went to ‘bible study betty’ and rick bonfim teaching us about grace by way of romans and galatians when i was on a mission trip in brasil in 2006. it was one of the most powerful educations i’ve received on such a simple but unfathomable message. (by the way? that trip alone is what propelled me down the path toward my own calling of loving people through evangelism, and i’m not sure if i’ll ever share that story here but those who were there are sure to remember.)
i might go over my notes from that study if i can find them; otherwise, i’d love to just read these books together in this community and let the discussion happen organically. we will only decipher the word of god itself with as little help from guides as we can manage, save for any side-notes you might find in your own bibles. i will be using the life application study bible (nlt), the message and my little non-threatening evangelistic tool (niv). {that said, i promise to keep it simple and not complicate the conversation-starters with a bunch of different versions – the message itself should communicate the same, no matter which version we read.}
i am so excited about learning more about grace with you, and whatever else we can glean together, through the study of romans and galatians. we will begin next wednesday. no prior reading required, we’ll just dive right in then.
in the meantime, i’m wondering…
what does grace mean to you?
what has been your most profound experience(s) of grace?
what scripture or other quote is the greatest expression to you about this thing called grace?
would you share with me and your fellow sojourners here?
i’d love to hear from your heart on the matter.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 01:16:37
Well, I haven’t really had one major instance of grace in my life. It seems like my life is filled with tiny dots of grace. Really, I believe that our whole lives are just filled with grace dots. That time that your friend forgave you when you thought she never would. That time when everything worked out even though you messed things up big time.
Sometimes I lay in bed at night wondering how God could love me after all of the little things I’ve done wrong. After the times ive yelled at my brother. The {many} times I’ve forgotten to pray and read his Word. But, he still love me because it’s all about grace.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 07:53:18
How beautiful, Tay. I think you’re spot on: being able to see the tapestry of grace woven into our lives. Love this.
xo
Jun 08, 2011 @ 02:18:36
Right now, in this particular moment the most intriguing comment on grace that I am walking about, trying to take into myself is this quote from a Mumford and Sons song, “Roll Away Your Stone.”
The lyric states:
“It seems that all my bridges have been burned,
But you say that’s exactly how this grace thing works
It’s not the long walk home that will change this heart,
But the welcome I receive with the restart.”
Because these beautiful and resonant words are fairly fresh to me, I can better comprehend the power of grace through them. Grace is the enabling power. But our acceptance is not gained in our finishing or walking out some life or path propelled, if you will, by that grace. I sense that it is God’s gift of grace ever and always that brings both our acceptance and any and all transformation. In simpler words. His kindness brings about our change of heart. His reception of us makes us pliable to His hands. We are received. period. (“By grace, you have been saved, through faith. And it is the gift of God and not of yourselves….eph 2: “) Do we gain a measure of His heart and ways as we walk alongside Him, enabled to do so by grace again- yes, I believe we do. But, such has no bearing on our reception.
I tend to think of grace as an acceptance that is not passive by nature, but pursuant. An acceptance which presses us deeper into the person of Christ and His ways more into us.
the most straight forward passage on grace I know is Ephesian 2: 1-10. I hope I have decently represented what I think and hope Paul conveys. But, Jesus – His words and ways most define my understanding of God’s heart and this thing called grace that Jesus never spoke of, but certainly embodied.
I ‘m sure this is weakly communicated. It’s late.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 07:54:37
Not weakly communicated at all, but beautiful. I adore your way with words.
xo
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Jun 08, 2011 @ 07:20:55
I’m deciding to hope it’s grace/a God present that I need to really understand grace a you posted this on my birthday (and no, I didn’t just type that to get people to wish me a happy birthday)! But I hope it’s my own little present from God.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 07:26:37
Caaarrrmeeennn!
Yes! I choose to believe that, too!
May the God of all that is grace pour more, more, more of it into and onto you in your new year. You are such a delight, precious friend!
Happy Birthday!
xo
Jun 08, 2011 @ 08:20:52
Grace to me is just another piece of God’s infinite wonder, that I hope to never comprehend. Seeing my children every day is just a small little reminder of said Grace.
You and I are on the same train of thought today Mary, let’s dub this Grace-Wednesday
Jun 08, 2011 @ 10:24:08
That will be perfect while we do our study this summer!
Grace-Wednesday is then, Ben.
Thanks for stopping by, Ben! Do stay if you can.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 09:25:12
I remember this experience and it’s funny, because I’m amazed at the grace, more than I was then. I got into a lease with three other roommate and I only knew one of them. I was desperate just to find a place after a fiasco the year before, even though I wasn’t certain it was a good situation. Once I moved in I found out that there were some questionable activities both legal and moral going on. After two weeks at the apartment I knew it was time to get out. I remembered a lady at work saying about a month earlier that she had an extra room in her basement that she would rent. I asked and she said I could move in a week later. It wasn’t enough that I got out of a bad situation due to my bad decision. The rent was cheaper, I didn’t have to pay utilities, later that year when my car had to go in the shop, while I had a 45 minute commute, my landlords let me borrow on of their vehicles, asked about painting, and I came home after a weekend trip to find the walls painted, new lighting and a drop ceiling put in, I end up staying there 3 years through grad school, and that is only some of the things that came out of that experience.
This was grace. More than God giving me a way out, He gave me so many gifts that I could never have accounted for before.
I think after your post the other day this has been stuck in my head, “If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.”
Jun 08, 2011 @ 10:28:02
LOVE this. So often we would be satisfied with just one gift, but God says, ‘and here’s another…
and another…
and another…’
Loooove this.
xo
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Jun 08, 2011 @ 21:32:51
What a cool story Melissa! I love stuff like that. We recently had a similar story. Suffice to say that we have been low on available cash for some time now due unfortunate mistakes made by my spouse. So, when things break, we have little of our own resources to fix these problems. Recently the hot water heater broke. It’s been 2 weeks of cold showers, brrrr! We needed money to replace the heater and to have it installed. This was going to cost us about $700. So, we asked God for favor and a miracle. He gave my husband an extra shift that was worth $250.00 and a friend installed the heater for free! This saved us a ton of money and our vacation.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 09:36:03
I think that peace hovers in the spots where God’s been and that His grace marks the spots where He needn’t have travelled, but did.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 10:29:02
And…done.
xo
Jun 08, 2011 @ 10:17:09
Sweet sugar-lumpkins here (hahahahahahaha…). You asked what grace means to me, and I could not put into words what grace is to me, so I went looked up your scripture reference in Strong’s concordance. The Greek noun (Charis) used in this scripture means:
grace
that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
good will, loving-kindness, favour
of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
what is due to grace
the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
the token or proof of grace, benefit
a gift of grace
benefit, bounty
thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward
Talk about a multi-dimensional word. I’ve always felt like I was being given undeserved favor by the Creator of the Universe simply because He loves me and I said “Yes” to His Son’s free gift of salvation. And that I continue to work towards His perfection to the best of my feeble ability. And, in turn I am to extend goodwill, loving speech, unmerited favor, and loving-kindness to others.
There is where I hope that others see God and Jesus. Because that’s really the point, right? Receiving grace is all about me because it is to my benefit. Giving grace is all about the other person because it is to their benefit.
What a generous thing for God to do for me. Makes me want to turn around and be generous to others. Luke 6:38 pretty says it all for me: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Jun 08, 2011 @ 10:27:08
So well said. Thanks, Stephanie!
Jun 08, 2011 @ 11:52:32
Aw thanks!
Jun 08, 2011 @ 10:35:55
I think…giving grace is also to our benefit. those who have received much, much more will be given, right? I need all I can get, know much of what I’ve been given, so if giving back grace to others expands my well to receive grace…
I cannot even tell you how much it blesses me that you looked up ‘grace’ as it pertains to the scripture. Thank you so much for doing that, Sweet Sugarlumpkins.
What a beautiful, wonderful description.
xo
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Jun 08, 2011 @ 11:50:21
I think you are right about giving grace is a benefit to me (hence Luke 6:38) as well as others. Just didn’t say that part very well. Thanks for pointing that out MK!
Steph
Jun 08, 2011 @ 18:21:10
don’t you love the illustration of that verse? makes me want to dance.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 12:48:46
Grace… is a gift … of kindness and hope … one only has to be willing to receive it.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 18:21:52
so beautiful, sharon. thank you for this. xo
Jun 08, 2011 @ 14:43:36
Grace – not answering all my prayers. He ALWAYS knows better. He always sees the big picture. He always knows what lies just beyond the bend. So when I struggle to peer around the corner, anxious to see where the path will lead me, I feel Him gently draw me in to His grip of grace. Peace restored.
Jun 08, 2011 @ 18:20:02
beautiful, sweet friend. love this. xo