By His Grace: Giving Up the Grind and Embracing God's Grace This EasterSample

Day 1

Introduction

Several weeks back, I was asked to speak at a chapel event for elementary school students, and I had a surprising experience while preparing to minister to the students. As I was writing my presentation, a lesson on love letters and invitations in the Bible, I began to get teary-eyed. The concept of being wanted so dearly that Jesus would rather be hurt himself than see me be hurt took on a new poignancy as I wrote about it in child-like terms.

Think about this: God’s perfect love and perfect justice seem like they should be mutually exclusive because his justice demands that each one of us should be cast from his presence while his love demands that each one of us should be welcomed into his arms. The surprising answer to this problem is present in the image of the cross. When God’s love and justice convened, his answer was grace embodied in the person of Jesus--who is intimately familiar with all of your sins and infinitely willing to die for you, crying out in your defense in his greatest moment of suffering.

The world often seems to be waiting for my moments of weakness to tell me that I am not worthy or wanted.

But the Easter story, as an extension of Jesus’ entire ministry, proclaims a powerful opposing message. I am not worthy, but I am so very wanted that Jesus offered me grace-- or unmerited favor.

Grace is an essential part of the Christian identity; in fact, to be a Christian is to walk constantly in a posture that confesses salvation by grace. While this is true, the external and internal judgments we face daily often seem incompatible with grace. It doesn’t take much prompting to push us into patterns of self-sufficiency and, inevitably, self-loathing--the very binds that Jesus came to break!

This Lenten season, I challenge you to fill your heart and mind with images of Jesus’ grace and to practice pondering what it means to be saved by grace and walk in grace daily. Throughout this plan, we will reflect on displays of grace in Jesus’ ministry that foreshadowed the grace given to all at his crucifixion. As we study Jesus’ grace each day, I hope you will learn to embrace the divine grace that Jesus handed down to you from the cross.

Reflection

Read today's Bible references slowly and carefully. Consider the following questions:

1. According to Romans 5:8, we don't have to become perfect to be saved. We are saved while we are still sinners, and then we become more Christ-like. How is the biblical pattern of receiving our reward and then responding with our works different from the standards to which society holds you?

2. How does Jesus' grace effect your daily life and self-talk? If it does not, what barriers do you believe are keeping you from living in daily grace?

Response

Pray to God, and tell him what you have learned from reading these Bible passages today. Ask him to illuminate anything that you are struggling to grasp. Consider what you have learned about who God is, and let those things direct your worship.