Grace.

God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

It’s so easy to receive this gift, to reach out our hands and take it as quickly as it’s offered, with no hesitation or questions asked. We do this on a daily basis, basically expecting and demanding grace for the many things we’ve done wrong in this life. We’re fallen humans, not able to go through a single day without sinning against our Lord and Saviour. Yet He still loves us, cares for us, provides for us no matter what we have done or will do. He gave the ultimate gift for us - His life. How do we react to this? Do we appreciate it and thank the Lord for this grace, or just take it for granted?

Grace.

We’re so undeserving of this, yet we take it anyway. When it comes time to offer grace to others, though, how reluctant are we to give it? Do we offer it with no hesitation or questions asked? No. Forgiveness and grace are hard to give freely. Others have wronged us - why should we let them get away with it? We’ve been hurt, so they should hurt and suffer as well. We hold back, waiting until we need forgiveness from someone else before offering it ourselves. We remember the wrongs that have been done to us, the things that have been said about us, then we play the grace card when someone else shows their hand. If even then…

And the bitterness builds up inside.

Thank you, Lord, for freely giving us your grace, before we even ask for it and despite the fact we don’t deserve it.

There are many songs about grace, mainly about God giving us his amazing grace or about us receiving this grace from our Father. How many songs are there about us being unable to give grace?

Here is an awesome song about grace from one of my new favorite bands:

Give Us Amazing Grace - Jackson Waters

These are the lyrics to the chorus of the song:

So wash away the madness
‘Cause You don’t care what’s happened
You don’t even think about the things that I’ve done wrong
So give me a new start
Create in me a new heart
Fold me in to Your sweet embrace
Give me amazing grace

If the chorus were to be written from our perspective, based on how we give grace to others, it would go something like this:

So keep up this madness
‘Cause I’ll always care what’s happened
I’ll think about the things that you’ve done wrong
I can’t give us a new start
or create in me a new heart
How can I hold you in a sweet embrace
You don’t get my grace

We have received the ultimate gift in the death and resurrection of Christ. We need to remember this and more freely give grace to those we feel have wronged us. Without being asked. Without ulterior motives. With no strings attached.

Then the chorus would go like this:

So wash away the madness
‘Cause I don’t care what’s happened
I don’t even think about the things that you’ve done wrong
So let’s have a new start
Creating in us a new heart
I want to hold you in to my sweet embrace
and give you amazing grace