Grace

My niece's name is Grace. She is absolutely that. Wonderful, unexpected, amazing and sweet about sums her up. Her smile, her laugh, her cute little voice and especially her song, "We will, we will ROCK YOU!!" just make you want to melt.

It is truly amazing how similar she is to what Grace really is. Grace can be described simply as God's undeserved favor or love for mankind. The key word is undeserved. God gives us grace not because we deserve it or who we are or strive to be. God gives us grace because of who HE is.

This time of year I am overwhelmed with the number of impatient, rude, get-out-of-my-way people in our world. Christmas has a way of bringing out the worst in people. Somehow the stresses of the earthly holiday overshadow the real reason we celebrate. Nothing new said here I know.

I was just thinking about things that have been said to me, about me and things done to me lately. The only thing I can do to is ask God to help me extend grace. You see, it is never our job to condemn. The bible says that, 'There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." We have been freed and we are to look upon others in light of our freedom. Our pastor recently challenged us to be grace extended this holiday season. When we are wronged and we respond with grace we are allowing God's love to flow through us and not become stopped up in us. I think if we lived life focused upon what is right with God and less upon what is wrong with other people, we would all be happier.

I am thankful that God's word says that we have a "High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses." That means that God knows we aren't going to be perfect. He understands our flesh. My prayer is that I would remember to "sympathize" with others in what I perceive as their weaknesses. (Something keeps reminding me of a story of a plank and a splinter!!) We all fall short. We are all desperately in need of grace. I find that I live by grace every moment. The longer I live the more I find that I am going to flub up, make a mistake, hurt someone etc. every day of my life. I need a flood of grace. I pray Lord, that this flood of your grace that I swim in on a daily basis would overflow to those around me. Help me not to point fingers but to offer grace and point people to Christ.