Devotional by Jim Kerner

First of all, it truly is amazing!

A very simple definition of grace is that it is an unmerited gift from God. First, understand that it is undeserved, but God wants us to have it knowing that we don’t deserve it? Wow! Why Lord? The answer, God loves us. Jesus’s crucifixion is only the beginning of His grace for us. The Salvation we receive from God’s sacrifice of His Son, is our new beginning in Christ, by His gift of grace. Until we are called home, He provides His grace for us daily. 

This Grace from God forgives us. When we confess our sins to God, our guilt is taken away, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7 Every day God forgives. Every single day!

This Grace from God blesses us every day. He pours out His love and mercy every minute of every day. He gives us so much but let’s be honest, we don’t deserve what He provides. We are all sinners; we say we will follow His path but we get sidetracked and wonder off on our own. Our actions show we don’t trust God enough to get through today, let alone our lives. In truth, our actions speak louder than our words. God sets us free from sin, God forgives us of our sin, and God bestows His blessings on us every day! 

This Grace from God frees us from the penalty of sin and the pitfalls that go along with it. In John 8:36, Jesus said “So if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.”

This Grace from God transforms us. He wants to change us so that we don’t go back and make the same mistakes again. He doesn’t want us to fail, He wants to change us to be more like Him. Through Him, we will have what we need for a new life and better life. “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 11:19. 

And by this transformation we will do what is right and good not because we have to, but because we want to. What a difference we feel when we do something because we want to rather than when we have to!

This Grace from God lives within us. Why, because He chooses to live inside us though His Spirit. He blesses us, He walks with us and He loves us. We’re all sinners, we have cracks and flaws, but He chooses to live within us and His light shines through us, through those cracks and flaws that others might see Him through us. “Not I but Christ who lives within me.” As Paul said in Galatians 2:20. So, we live by grace.

This Grace from God empowers us. What we are given makes it possible to change our lives to represent His righteousness. This gift of grace also makes it possible for us to achieve great things and reach goals that we never thought possible. When He calls on us, we’re able to do the impossible. When we use the talents, He has given us, all things are possible.

Lost? Once

Found? Yes

My Prayer

Dear God, I am so grateful that You are a loving, gracious God. By Your grace, I am forgiven and have the gift of anew life in You. Your love never fails and I ask that You fill me with the power of Your love so that, through You, I can make a difference in the world about me, and glorify You to others. Amen!

  – Jim Kerner