What about the other side of grace? This, being my first contribution to our on-line-study, is what I have been thinking about on the subject.
The last few days of meditation and study together has been a wonderful reminder of His grace to us - so many hymns have been written hoping to express something about His grace - impossible for us to really understand. One of the verses of one of these hymns “And Can it be That I Should Gain?” written by Charles Wesley goes as:
He left His Father’s throne above, So free, so infinite in His grace”
Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all! Immense and free, For, O my God, it found out me!
Thank God for His grace, “greater than all our sins”.
But what about the other side of grace? So much grace, undeserved, has been extended to us by our God; what about our extending grace to those around us when they don’t deserve it. It is easy to extend grace, undeserved love, to the people we run into each day who treat us well. But what about the times when they don’t? When we were the furthest from God, He extended grace to us. He set an example for us to follow.
He also gave us many scriptures to follow - on the subject - so that we treat each other with grace. We so often talk about bringing others to God with words - also a commandment - but what about reaching others for the kingdom of God by our actions? When grace flows out of us to others, it is the greatest expression that Christ - giver of grace to us - lives in us.
In John 13:34, 35, Christ left us with the words, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
So much more on this subject - will likely visit it again another day. Doesn’t our treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wants them to be treated, distinguish Christians from others, and from those of other religions?
Submitted by Naida
The last few days of meditation and study together has been a wonderful reminder of His grace to us - so many hymns have been written hoping to express something about His grace - impossible for us to really understand. One of the verses of one of these hymns “And Can it be That I Should Gain?” written by Charles Wesley goes as:
He left His Father’s throne above, So free, so infinite in His grace”
Emptied Himself of all but love, And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all! Immense and free, For, O my God, it found out me!
Thank God for His grace, “greater than all our sins”.
But what about the other side of grace? So much grace, undeserved, has been extended to us by our God; what about our extending grace to those around us when they don’t deserve it. It is easy to extend grace, undeserved love, to the people we run into each day who treat us well. But what about the times when they don’t? When we were the furthest from God, He extended grace to us. He set an example for us to follow.
He also gave us many scriptures to follow - on the subject - so that we treat each other with grace. We so often talk about bringing others to God with words - also a commandment - but what about reaching others for the kingdom of God by our actions? When grace flows out of us to others, it is the greatest expression that Christ - giver of grace to us - lives in us.
In John 13:34, 35, Christ left us with the words, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
So much more on this subject - will likely visit it again another day. Doesn’t our treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wants them to be treated, distinguish Christians from others, and from those of other religions?
Submitted by Naida
posted by Randall | 5:12 p.m.
1 Comments:
You are so right about our need to extend His grace to others. Lord make me a channel of Your love. And when we do that we receive more grace....it's a never ending supply. The song the children sang in St. Vincent said, "love is something when you give it away ...it comes right back to you"
What a truth! He giveth more grace as the burdens grow greater. I am also made aware of my own sinfulness because of His grace, but He reminds me that confession brings peace through His forgiveness. "My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought.. my sin not in part but the whole has been nailed to His cross.....I bear it no more! Praise the Lord !....praise the Lord!..oh my soul
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