Grace is a concept that is, to put it mildly, difficult to grasp not only the meaning of, but also the reality of God’s grace. I am wondering tonight what grace is. What is this thing that I so desperately need; so deeply crave? What does grace do?
In the study “Opening Up Titus” we read this helpful explanation:
“There is, in other words, nothing unbalanced about the life grace enables us to live. There is an all-roundedness about it. The aim of divine grace is to make us Christians who in every area of life—man-ward, self-ward, and God-ward—are well-pleasing to God.”
Tonight I am struck by the thought that there is “nothing unbalanced about the life that grace enables us to live.” My life is so completely out of balance right now. I need a fresh understanding, a fresh realization, a fresh awareness of the grace of God in my life. Especially tonight. Maybe more so tonight than most nights; it’s been a very difficult night.
In John 1:16 we read:
16 And from his (Jesus) fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
When I read those words, I am astounded. We receive not only grace, but grace upon grace. To understand verse 16, we have to back up to verse 14:
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Essentially, The Word (Jesus Christ, my Jesus) became flesh, became the divine human and dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory- (now be sure to catch this next part) This kind of glory that we see in Jesus, is glory that is only due the Son from God the father—–and that this son of the Father, this Son of God, is full of grace and truth. Grace. Truth.
And then the remarkable happens–from Jesus’ fullness of Grace and Truth, we who believe receive grace upon grace. A double blessing of grace.
Tonight I am keenly aware of the need for grace, because I feel very void of it, because I do not sense it in my life right now. But I know that it is there, grace upon grace, and that without it, I will not continue to stand fast.