The Magnificent Grace of God DevotionalSample

The Magnificent Grace of God is Available to Everyone

Confession: I’m a bit of a bookaholic.

As much as I love to collect books and admire them as they sit neatly on the library shelves, my granddaughter used to love to pull them off the shelves. Eventually I taught her which shelves she had permission to pull from and which shelves were off limits. The books available to her “handling” were the preschool books and classic stories that I wanted her to enjoy – one of which is the familiar story of Cinderella.

You remember Cinderella, right?

After the death of her father, Cinderella’s evil stepmother banished her to a life of solitude in the cellar and bullied her to a life of subjection in the home. It was a life that Cinderella would have never chosen for herself. A life of feeling unwelcomed. Less than.

Stuck.

Through a series of events, however, Cinderella finds herself at the ball. Adorned in a gown fit for a princess, she majestically comes face to face with the prince. It was an indelible moment, but the encounter ends with Cinderella running off at the stroke of midnight, leaving one of her glass slippers behind.

The prince finds the slipper and, after trying it on the foot of many a maiden, he finally stumbles upon Cinderella. Adorned in rags and covered in soot, she humbly comes face to face with the prince – this time, just as she is. No more pretense. No more running. No more repressing.

He glides the glass slipper onto her foot, and, in that moment, y’all, Cinderella is offered grace. Grace that would redeem her from the heartache of her past. Grace that would resolve that she is loved in the present. Grace that would refute what others said about her future.

Now, I know. Cinderella’s story isn’t real. But I wonder if maybe – just maybe – you are in a place where you have been made to feel unwelcomed. Less than.

Stuck.

Maybe you find yourself being pretentious for fear of others finding out the real you. Maybe, you have been running from the very One who wants to redeem you as His own.

Well, I have some good news for you.

Unlike the slipper that only fit the foot of Cinderella, the gift of God’s grace is available to everyone. Everyone. Even when we were dead in our wrongdoings. Even while we were yet sinners. Even when we are weak or insulted or are persecuted and experience hardships. The gift of His grace is available to you, to me, and to this whole wide world that He so loved.

The question is, are you willing to accept the gift of His grace just as you are? I hope so. Because understanding the gift of His grace, my friends, has the propensity to change everything. Join me over the next few days as we grow together in the knowledge of God’s magnificent grace.