Grace Upon Grace
How can one explain the beauty of grace except to say that it is a gift from God? Grace is a topic that is very dear to me because it’s one of the gifts I believe I’ve received the most in my life. It is the gift I never deserved, the gift I never earned, and the gift I never knew I needed.
Grace is a reflection of the love that the Father has for us. Grace is a gift that cannot be bought, and it cannot be earned. It is a gift that only God could have given us and one that we can only try to reflect in the way we treat others.
Grace is shown throughout the Bible. The story of David is a prime example of God’s grace.
David committed adultery with Bathsheba and arranged for her husband to die (2 Samuel 11:1–27). David, the person whom God had chosen from a very young age, whom God called to be king and to lead His people, had now done the unimaginable.
But it begs the question: did God not know that this would be the outcome from the very beginning? Yes, He did. Before the crown was even placed on David’s head, before he was even born, God knew his story. God knew what David would do. He knew his imperfections and the shortcomings that were ahead. But God chose David anyway.
Another example of a time when grace was shown was with Peter.
Peter denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54–62). In the customs of that time, repeating a phrase three times was a way of showing that a decision was final, or that something had been completely severed. i.e. when two people were divorcing. So, when Peter denied Jesus three times, it wasn’t just a random number. There was a sense of finality to what Peter had done.
It was a sign that Peter had completely severed his relationship with Jesus. In that sense, it was like a divorce between Peter and Jesus. This is why Peter was so distraught, because he knew what he had done and the severity of it. He had denied Jesus three times, despite everything he had said about never leaving Him (Luke 22:33–34).
But the beauty of grace is shown when the angel said, “But go, tell his disciples and Peter” (Mark 16:7) after Jesus’ resurrection.
Jesus had not forgotten about him. Jesus had not washed His hands of Peter. Jesus loved Peter even after Peter betrayed Him.
That is grace.
For some of us today, we may need to hear that God still loves us despite our past or our present. I’m here to tell you today that nothing you do could ever separate you from God’s love (Romans 8:38–39).
“And from the overflow of His fullness we received grace heaped upon more grace!”
— John 1:16 (TPT)
This scripture is a depiction of the fact that God’s grace never runs out. No matter how far you go, no matter how big or small that sin may seem to you, God’s grace will never run dry.
You can still be saved despite the mess.
You can still be saved despite your lifestyle.
You can still know and have a relationship with God despite your circumstances.
His grace is enough to change your life, to change your story and to change you.
Reflection:
Am I allowing my past to make me feel separated from God?
Can I forgive myself for what God has already forgiven me for?
