Today’s chapter from Waking Up Slowly is about our reluctance to receive the gift of grace. This 21 day journey explores the actions and attitudes that drive us away from God. One of those is refusing to accept that our salvation, sanctification, and satisfaction are all about what God has done and not about our own self-efforts.

As a follower of Christ, I have everything I need to be content. Yet I wander, looking for something new or the latest trend in the church. What I was looking for in every book, program, study, and event was the sweet gospel of unconditional love, unmerited forgiveness, and complete acceptance. I was looking for grace.

This line from poet Nancy Spiegelberg may be the most indicting summary
of the grace I misunderstood for decades: “Lord, I crawled across the barrenness to You with my empty cup uncertain in asking any small drop of refreshment. If only I had known You better I’d have come running with a bucket.”

I am indeed awakening to the mystery, the majesty, and the unquenchable supply of grace given to me each moment.

Grace.

It is a word that has lost its power through misuse and overuse. Fearful grace objectors banter about the ridiculous concept of cheap grace as if I must be wary of receiving a gift from my Father in heaven. Are you kidding me? If I view grace like a sales pitch for a time-share resort, I am listening to the wrong voices. There are no strings attached with grace. No fine print. No hidden costs. No promises to lure me in that have not already and forever been fully delivered. Grace gives me full title to the resort and all the first-class amenities.

Grace.

So God comes along with a redemption plan so radical that we have a hard time believing it could be true. This is what I almost always hear when I share God’s grace with unbelievers or fellow recovering legalists.
“Is this true?”
“Yes, it is,” I affirm.
The follow-up question is the same one I asked when I first heard the grace message.
“Why haven’t I heard this before?”
To be completely honest, I had heard versions of that message over my first few decades of faith.

Thank God I finally understood that I could not do it myself. I could not earn my way to righteousness. And more importantly, I finally understood that this was the best news ever. I could quit flailing and start trusting God’s
gift of grace.

You don’t have to do anything but believe. Radical. Crazy.

Grace

GOD’S TAKE
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for
this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2 : 8 – 9)

A DOSE OF GRACE
Grace is by definition an undeserved gift. Look for people in your life to whom you can give this gift of acceptance, love, forgiveness, and kindness today. Don’t expect reciprocity when you give grace. This is such an important piece to connect more with God and others. Accept His grace as a wonderful gift, and feel free to regift it over and over again.

Excerpts are from Waking Up Slowly. Check it our here.