[FONT="]This morning as I got ready to go to church I spent the early morning reflecting on the Grace of God. Its amazing how we are glad that we received salvation and all the blessings that come with having a relationship with the Most High God, by Grace (through faith) but sometimes fail to fully grasp the significance of what has happened. I once heard someone say, "Love that goes upward is worship ...Love that goes outward is affection.....Love that stoops is Grace." In His grace God reached down to lift me up and gave me a new status in Him. A status I do not deserve. The Apostle in John 1 tells us that while the Law was given (impersonal) Grace came in the person of Jesus. He is in a sense, the grace of God personified. Jesus life was a demonstration of Gods Grace to Humanity. We don't have to wait for the cross to see evidence of this:[/FONT]
[FONT="]In Luke 7: 11 - 14 He comes across a widow who lost her son and was on her way to bury him. Jesus raises the boy to life. She did not seek Him out. He didn't ask about her background or try to determine whether or not they were "good people." He just responded to a need.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In John 8 He tells an adulteress that He did not condemn her; that she should go and "sin no more." Words full of grace. No lecture. No "come to service and bible study for five weeks so I can see if you are really serious..!" No! Just Grace, "Go and sin no more."[/FONT]
[FONT="]Else where in Luke 18:38, a blind man calls out to Him, "Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy on me!" He responds not with, "what do you want?" but rather, "What would you like me to do for you?" Then He heals the man.[/FONT]
[FONT="]So many other instances are found...like the one where a sick man is before Him and He first says,"Your sins are forgiven!" If my understanding is correct, the man didn't even get round to asking for His sins to be forgiven. Jesus saw the bigger problem and dealt with that first, then healed him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The challenge for me is that if I have received Grace and am living in it, then shouldn't my relationships with others and my dealings with them be shaped or influenced by Grace? [/FONT]
[FONT="]In Luke 7: 11 - 14 He comes across a widow who lost her son and was on her way to bury him. Jesus raises the boy to life. She did not seek Him out. He didn't ask about her background or try to determine whether or not they were "good people." He just responded to a need.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In John 8 He tells an adulteress that He did not condemn her; that she should go and "sin no more." Words full of grace. No lecture. No "come to service and bible study for five weeks so I can see if you are really serious..!" No! Just Grace, "Go and sin no more."[/FONT]
[FONT="]Else where in Luke 18:38, a blind man calls out to Him, "Jesus, Son of David! Have mercy on me!" He responds not with, "what do you want?" but rather, "What would you like me to do for you?" Then He heals the man.[/FONT]
[FONT="]So many other instances are found...like the one where a sick man is before Him and He first says,"Your sins are forgiven!" If my understanding is correct, the man didn't even get round to asking for His sins to be forgiven. Jesus saw the bigger problem and dealt with that first, then healed him.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The challenge for me is that if I have received Grace and am living in it, then shouldn't my relationships with others and my dealings with them be shaped or influenced by Grace? [/FONT]