What is so good about Grace?

First Love – Inspiring others to fall in love with Jesus

He saved us not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…..Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life” Titus 3:5-7

Last week we had a tumultuous time with our five year old. He just didn’t seem to want to do anything we asked. By the end of the week we knew that enough was enough and we had to sit him down and have a good old chat. During said conversation we discussed behaviour, respect and forgiveness. And at the end we prayed and we hugged and the matter was over. So over in fact, that we enjoyed an ice cream together afterwards.

You may be thinking that he didn’t deserve the ice cream after all his antics and you would probably be right. However do any of us really deserve anything? There was a woman in the bible that had an affair when her husband was away fighting in battle, her name was Bathsheba. She then fell pregnant with her lover’s child, King David, who then had her husband Uriah killed. Her story is one that is marked with shame, disgrace and sin. Fast forward then to the book of Matthew chapter 1 verse 6 and we see her name listed in the genealogy of Jesus.

Bathsheba was not the only imperfect person in scripture that God used for his mighty plan. In the book of Joshua chapter 2 we read of a prostitute that was used by God to protect his people and Rahab’s faith is made mention of in the book of Hebrews 11v31. If we go back to that same passage in Matthew then, we also find Rahab’s name detailed in the bloodline of Jesus. Why would God choose women like Bathsheba and Rahab to be the ancestors of the saviour of the world? Well why would God use any of us? The bible says that all of us have sinned and have fallen short of God’s perfect standard – who is Jesus. (Rom 3v23). Not one of us is perfect, we have all made mistakes and the beauty of a relationship with God through Jesus is that he forgives us. Ok, so he maybe doesn’t offer you an ice cream, but he will bless you with forgiveness, hope, peace and purpose.

Jesus didn’t come to save the self-righteous but to save the sinner. This is what’s so great about Grace, that we don’t deserve anything, however when we have Jesus, we have everything. So no matter how far you think you have fallen, whether you have a chequered past or continue to make the same silly mistakes, God’s grace is for you. All you need to do is ask for it. And it doesn’t stop there. Not only does he want to forgive you but he wants to use you. He has a plan for your life and that is not dictated by your past. For when he forgives you, he chooses to remember your sins no more. (Isaiah43v5).

Until next time

Debbie