For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. -2 Corinthians 5:14-15
From the first moment we have stepped into a church we have all heard about grace, but too often we can be confused about what this five-letter word really means. Mercy is "not getting what we deserve" and grace can be defined as "getting what we don't deserve." First, we didn't get what we truly deserve--death! Then, God gave us what we definitely do not deserve--forgiveness and salvation. Grace is a completely free gift with no strings attached. The only thing we need to do is accept it! Unfortunately, we tend to take this "unlimited" grace for granted and simply use it as a "get out of hell free" card. Grace is not to be taken lightly. Jesus Christ was beaten and suffered a terrible death to give me grace. I didn't deserve that--I should have been the one who died because of my sins, but Jesus paid those sins for me. Wow, what a humbling thought. I am nothing, Jesus is everything. Once we truly understand what Jesus truly did for us, we will be completely transformed. Even as I am sitting at home typing this, the light bulb is starting to truly flicker on in my head. Jesus did die for me! He suffered for me. This is not just a watered-down Sunday School story! This really happened and Jesus paid it all for me. He knows my sins, yet He still loves me! Wow, words cannot even express how that makes me feel. To know that the God of the universe thinks that I am worthy and that I can be forgivable.
In today's chapter, David Nasser highlights that a person who is transformed by God's grace loves God, obeys God, and love others. The list goes on...check it out:
- A thirst to know God better
- Carving out time to spend with God
- Feasting on God's Word
- Gaining insight about God, life, self, and others
- An edge, and intensity about the right things
- Identifying the right enemies
- A heart of thankfulness
- Willingness to listen to God
- Glad obedience
- Enjoying the adventure of faith, taking risks in obedience
- Practical service to help people
- Our personality is Spirit-purged and Spirit inspired
- Purer motives
- Telling other people about God's great grace
To be transformed by God's grace you have to first make the decision to accept it and then get on the road and enjoy the process. The process of God molding and shaping us isn't always easy, but it is always rewarding! Hang in there.
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