Grace

The word Grace comes from the Greek word Charis. In one of his Wednesday night classes on the Parables, our Parish Associate Pastor Bob Smith defined grace as God’s unmerited, un-discourageable love. I like that.

Other scholars tell us the word can be translated: joy, gift, pleasure, acceptance, favor, or favor done without any expectation of return.

Wow!

One of the most astonishing things about grace is that not only is it given to us completely unmerited, but also that God has taken the initiative to offer it to us.

Pastor Mark Trotter brought this home for me when he wrote:

“Have you ever notice that in the service professions, those professions that are supposed to serve society, like medicine, law, religion, counseling, social work, that the professionals in all of those professions sit in offices, and people make appointments to come and see them.

“But not God. God so loved the world he came to us, took the initiative to come to us in Jesus Christ. Which means, he is like the shepherd who seeks out the one who is lost and leaves the ninety-nine behind. Or, like the woman who sweeps out her house to find the lost coin. Or, like the father who goes down the road to embrace the child who was lost, but now is found.

In his book, What’s so Amazing About Grace, Phillip Yancey wrote that he has found in Mozart’s Requiem a prayer which he now uses daily. It goes like this: “Remember, merciful Jesus, that I am the cause of your journey.”

May you know in the very deepest part of your being that you are the cause of Jesus’ journey. He comes with grace to you even now – offering acceptance, favor, unmerited and un-discourageable love.

Let us pray: Merciful and Loving God, we thank you for coming to us in Jesus and for your love that knows no bounds. As we receive this grace, may we ever be looking for ways to share it with a world desperately in need. Amen.