Romans 3:23-24 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
“God’s Grace” justifies. It was the grace of God that found us in the reeking dump of sin; it was His blood that washed us clean and His love that embraced us. We get a glimpse of our loving God by the grace that we received. Grace is the face of God. Grace is the face that love wears when it meets imperfection – Joseph R Cooke. Grace does not condemn, it convicts; Grace does not disgrace, it directs; Grace does not humiliate, it honours.
Grace never gives up even on a rebellious rascal. “If a man has 100 sheep, but 1 of the sheep gets lost, he will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill. He will go to look for the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12). It was grace that relentlessly nudged the wandering disobedient back to the fold of Christ. He does not redeem us from wickedness because we are worthy but because He is compassionate. It is His grace that goes behind a sinner and delivers them from the bar, brothel and bouts.
“I do not understand the mystery of grace – only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us.” – Anne Larnott.
Grace is the face of God:
1. Delivered: God’s grace saves and delivers. Grace of God flooded incessantly when the woman caught in adultery was tossed at the feet of Jesus. It was the grace of God that saved her from being judged, condemned and stoned. Jesus reverberated the voice of grace when He answered, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (John 8:7b). The goodness of God brought the woman to repentance. Grace delivers from the pit of sin.
2. Justified: God’s grace wipes away our sins as if we have never sinned. A prostitute is renewed as a virgin, a promiscuous person is purified and the perverted is sanctified. Tax Collectors in Jesus times were considered worse than prostitutes as they worked for the Romans (enemies of the Jews), and looted the people. Jesus stooped down from the prostitute booth to the tax collector’s booth to call Matthew. Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him. (Matthew 9:1). Grace justifies as if we have never sinned.
3. Glorified: Grace is divine enablement of the unworthy with undeserved favour. Grace not only calls, delivers and justifies a sinner but it also sanctifies and glories the redeemed hooker. Glory is nothing but the power of God flowing through us. He cleans the souls of the sinners and then fills them with His divine power to overflow into the world. It is mind-boggling to see the Grace of God using a broken, bound and blemished soul to accomplish His purpose. “Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.” – Oscar Wilde. Grace glorifies.
Grace is the benevolent face of God that meets a marred sinner with love.
John 8:11b “Go and sin no more.”
Prayer: Compassionate Daddy, your grace has no barrier and your love knows no bounds. Thank you Lord for saving, delivering, justifying and sanctifying me. Amen
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