Given Grace by God
Paul loved to put God in the centre of his life. Listen to his words in 2 Timothy 1:9-10: “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus.”
The God-centred life is a life that is defined by God’s grace. It’s a life that is centred on grace - it’s a life that breathes in grace like oxygen! It’s a life held by the grace of God - a life sustained second by second by His grace!
Embrace God's Grace
Do you know what grace is? A favourite definition of GRACE is the acronym: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. God’s kindness and favour to you and to me despite our sin. Despite our wandering from him. Despite our living our own ways. Despite our hopeless attempts at living consistently good lives! God is still kind and loving to us, and this is called GRACE, and it was bought by Jesus at the cross.
Putting God at the centre of your life is only possible when you have learned what grace is!
You see, so many of us get caught in this graceless Christianity. We see God as an angry, wrathful overseer of the universe - a nasty ruler who will give you a reprieve if you kiss his shoes, but who doesn’t really care for you. And so we try to live good lives so that the angry master in the sky will look on us with pity and not take out his fury on us, and our Christian lives become resentful lives - we resent having to live for God, but we do it because we’re told that he will then be pleased and we will escape the fires of hell.
That’s an awful picture of God! It lacks the most important thing of all: grace! God is a gracious Father! And yes we are caught in sin, disappointing him and on our way to destruction without him. Certainly. But he is longing for us to come home! Longing to wrap his arms around us and welcome us into his embrace! Longing to save us from our lives of brokenness and bind up our wounds! Longing to give us grace upon grace upon grace – favour and love unmerited.
Accept His Grace
Do you know that He wants to do this for YOU today? He wants you to know His grace! All you have to do is accept this gift. And say yes Lord, I need your grace. Please pour it out. And He will pour it out in an instant.
It is grace that saves us… grace that makes us holy… grace that brings us home to him… Oh, centre your life around grace friends! Not around your own efforts to get right with God! It is grace and only grace that gets you and holds you in right relationship with God.
And it’s available for you right now if you’ll take it by faith.
