January 29, 2013

Good morning all-

I don't have much on my mind this morning but God's grace.  I often forget to think about His grace.  It seems that as the time goes I think more on His mercy, His power and His majesty but I woke up this morning thinking on His grace.  From the Old Testament we were told that a Savior would be born and that He would wear the stripes of our iniquity.  Isaiah 53 is all about that and it got me to thinking about why?

Grace isn't easy to come by.  Most people have a hard time grasping what grace truly is.  But if you think about it, grace is a God who loved a sinful people and sent His son to rectify those sins.  That's grace and I'm so glad we have it.  After reading Isaiah 53 it got me to thinking about Jesus and how much grace He truly had for us.  He wasn't just a man, He was God.

It's not easy for me to accept grace.  I'm my own worst critic but then when I look upon the words and meditate on them, grace was given, not earned.  I can't make God give me a hall pass, He gave it freely.  Someday, I will walk the streets of gold, not because of anything I did but because of what He did for me.  Humbling to say the least!

I hope you take some time today and look into your own life, see where Jesus provided grace and if someone in your life needs grace remember that the stripes He wore were our sins, not His.  I'm challenging all of us to remember that grace was given, never earned.  Hope you have a great day and that God blesses you.

John 1:16 NKJV:

     And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

2 Corinthians 9:14 NKJV

     and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.

1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV

    But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

My prayer today:

O, Lord, How Great You are!  After reading all of Isaiah 53 I was humbled by Your commitment to Your people.  I know the stories, have read them all but when you read the prophesies of old and see what You fulfilled, my heart wells up and I am humbled before You.  I know that I didn't deserve Your grace but its here for me anyway and I am grateful that You loved me enough to wear my iniquities.  We don't deserve Your love, Your presence or Your grace but You give it freely upon those that love and call You Father.  So today, we come before You and praise You for the Lord that wore the stripes for every woman, man and nation.  You are the Father of all and I pray that people all over the earth will come to know You by name.  You are the King of my heart and I pray that You will be the King of many.  Bring Your people to the faithful and spread Your word from nation to nation.  I lift up those in countries where Christians are a minority and ask that You will feed them and comfort them and that they will know Your grace.  For all You are and all You will be, thank You for giving us what we could not earn.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...