Devotion: July 27

Grace.

Currently I'm reading a book by Brennan Manning called The Ragamuffin Gospel. It is a reminder of how the grace of God reaches to the broken-hearted, the hurting, the dirty, and bedraggled. No matter what we've done, He gives us His grace willingly. It's such an amazing concept. As big of a failure as I am, I can always find rest and "the peace the surpasses all understanding" in the thought of His marvelous grace. I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9 that says, "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me." This speaks loudly to me because God is saying to us (the dirty, bedraggled, ragamuffins) that in the lowest of our lows, God is glorified and made greater because we can't pick ourselves back up. Since God is full of grace and He wants to extend it to us, it would make sense that He would be offended at the fact that we want to negate the power of His grace by trying to polish up ourselves and put make-up over our proverbial bruises. That's what His grace is for! So many times, I come to God as an impostor of who I want myself to be, not who I really am. I believe it may be as a slap in the face of God by trying to represent myself as better than I actually am. He wants to run to us as we return home like the prodigal son. I attempt to iron my robe of self righteousness, polish my crown of earthly achievements, lace up my sandals of popularity and use holy Listerene to cover up the scent of an untamed tongue. When, in reality, my wounds and disease that I hide underneath the sin of a mask are screaming for a healer. I should come to God as I truly am: a weak and damaged sinner who can't save himself. I need to repent daily of this. I encourage you to examine where you are and what you're "hiding" from God. It is the most shameful of sins that He wants to wipe clean. Give it up to Him, as you are. There is no need to try and clean up who you are before repentance. That's what His grace is for! A phrase I want you to ponder on and remember is one I tell myself over and over: "Grace, not guilt!"

I think about the story of the children that were being turned away until Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14). I believe that Jesus wouldn't say things He doesn't mean. He says that the children belong in heaven. I think this was a lesson to the disciples. We've heard of having childlike faith. Jesus says in the chapter prior, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:4). Again, in heaven are children. If we can think about the mannerisms of most children, we know that kids act on impulse, a lot. A little boy playing out in the yard, giving himself a spa treatment with dirt and mud pies isn't going to think twice about jumping in the car as he is when mom yells out that it is time to go to McDonald's for a happy meal and ice cream. In his eyes, the reward is greater than worrying with who he is at the present moment. Let's take a mental note about the insight of children. If they weren't important, then the God of creation in human form wouldn't have mentioned their innocence and compared it to the means necessary for receiving entry into the kingdom of heaven.

God is love and gives us His grace willingly. Finally, there is a solution to our problem. His name is Jesus and He endured the wrath of God so that we could experience paradise and be with Him forever.

I want to close with a few verses from Ephesians chapter 2 (with my own emphasis added).
"…you were DEAD in the trespasses and sin in which YOU once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived (past tense) in the passions of OUR flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us ALIVE together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN KINDNESS toward us in Christ Jesus. For by GRACE you have been SAVED through faith. AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his WORKMANSHIP (or masterpiece), created IN Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Grace isn't, however, a license or a freedom to give in to sin. "What shall we say, then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2)

Let's glorify our God by accepting grace as it was intended! He loves us.

--Caleb, worship pastor