The Magnificent Grace of God Devotional预览

The Magnificent Grace of God Saves Us

Grace. It’s a word often tossed around in Christian circles. We know it’s important and we know we need it, but do we really understand just how significant the gift of God’s grace is to our lives?

Before we unpack that question, though, let’s begin by defining what grace is. Grace is often described as the unmerited favor of God toward man. In other words, God’s grace gives us what we don’t deserve.

Additionally, God’s grace is not based on merit. There is nothing you or I could do to earn it, so we can’t boast in any way because we have it. Instead, Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:4 that God’s grace is based on His rich mercies and great love towards us – a love that sent His only Son to the cross as a Ransom for our past sins, a Refuge for our present troubles, and the Redeemer of our future hope.

Paul expounds on this further in Ephesians 2:5-7, giving us a picture of just how magnificently God’s grace is woven in the undercurrents of our past, our present, and our future. So, let’s examine this.

Verse 5: “Even when” represents the past and thank the good Lord that His grace did not wait until we got ourselves “right” with Him. No, even when we were unlovable, His grace met us there. Even when our pasts reeked of shame, His grace met us there. Even when our sins deserved death, God’s grace met us there. And here’s the beautiful thing – the same grace that saved us from our sins and made us alive together with Christ is the same grace that is still available today, even when.

Verse 6: “…in Christ Jesus” represents the present for the believer. When the grace of God saves us from our sin, we no longer go the way of the world and identify as being children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Rather, being born of God, our identity is now in Christ Jesus. Thus, we are positioned to live a life of holiness as children of God and heirs of His glory.

Verse 7: “…in the ages to come” represents the future. You cannot escape, outrun, or outlive the grace of God. The riches of His grace in Christ Jesus is described here as boundless. Not only was it there before the foundation of the world, but it reconciles our past, permeates our present, inhabits our future, and abounds in eternity. Paul continues in Ephesians 3, explaining that God’s grace is not just for us. It is also to manifest His glory so that others may experience this same grace.

In a world where even our tired is tired, isn’t it good news that His grace is inexhaustible? Indeed, God’s magnificent grace not only saves us. It offers us eternal life later and an abundant life now.