Recognizing God's Grace

We all know that God extends Grace into our sin-filled lives. Many of us know that we can not earn it, it is a gift, freely given, by a God that loves us more than we love ourselves. Some of us are aware that Grace touches every aspect of our daily lives. Few of us are present enough to recognize it when it happens.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you KNOW that what just happened was not of your making but could only have happened through Divine intervention? Have you ever had a change of heart that you KNOW you were not prepared to have but then suddenly something changed and there you sat, feeling differently about the situation? Have you ever been so far away from the heart of God that you felt totally isolated and alone, then slowly you began to see the small wonders that surrounded you?

Have you ever taken time to think about what the Grace of God looks like in YOUR life? Have you been patient enough, quiet enough, expectant enough to have you heart, eyes, and mind open to the work of God's hands in the world around you? Have you been obedient enough to prepare your mind with the Word and prepare your heart with Love?

The beautiful thing is that God DOES extend Grace to everyone that believes in Him and follows His Son. There is no special handshake, no member's card you have to carry, no coupon coming in the mail that will make you able to receive God's Grace. There is nothing you can DO to earn Grace, to request Grace, to bring about Grace. Once you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior then the deal is sealed, you are now a receiver of Grace.

Once we realize that we can not control God's Grace then we are freed to become familiar with it and begin to look for it in our life and in lives around us. Just as we know we can not make a maple tree out of thin air, we are freed to be able to see one in our front yard and appreciate it's autumnal beauty of reds, oranges, and yellows. We did nothing to create the beauty but we are the beneficiaries of the majesty that brings about the seasonal change.

So.....(you know I always have a so... ;-) )... What stage are you in when it comes to God's Grace? Are you aware that it exists or are you still working through that stage? Are you aware that you can not earn it or do you need more time to be sure of that? Are you aware of how often God's Grace touches your daily life or are your eyes being cleansed so that you may see? Are you aware of God's Grace in a tangible way so that you recognize it when it happens or do other people point it out, as God works in your life?

My prayer for today is that you may know God's Grace, accept God's Grace, feel God's Grace and embrace God's Grace in your life. I pray that when times are challenging, you will turn to God. I pray that when times are joyful, you will turn to God. I pray that when times are uncertain, you will turn to God. I pray that when times are peaceful, you will turn to God. I pray that when you turn to God you will feel His loving arms surround you, His quiet strength fill you, and His beautiful Grace cover you.

Until We Meet Again,

Drea

p.s. - Did you notice all the questions in today's blog? You need to think, be an active participant, on your journey with God. He will not give you all the answers or accept a mindless drone that does not come to Him freely and of their own accord. You must decide for yourself what you believe, what you will receive. You must be willing to ask yourself tough questions, grapple with them for a while, and then come out the other side being willing to question some more. God is a BIG God, we can not learn all there is to know about Him in one day, one week, one month, one year, one decade, one life time. But we must be willing to continue to explore. Blessings for the journey!!!