Grace

The index of my Bible defines grace as "the undeserved love and salvation God gives."

I had always thought that I understood the meaning of grace: that my faith was partly based on the grace given to me through Christ's crucifixion, but it wasn't until just the past few days that I have discovered the depth and beauty and power of this thing we call grace.

The past few days I spent at a conference called Passion 2010 that was held in Atlanta, GA. There were over 21,000 students and 18 to 25 year olds at this 4 day event. The days consisted of large group sessions with speakers and bands leading worship songs to praise the Lord, smaller sessions called community groups where we got to talk about the struggles of our faith and the inspiration God gives us with family groups of 8 people, and a social justice component. Actually, that was amazing- the students donated over $660,000 to the 10 or 12 social justice causes they had at the conferene- AND THEN a couple in the audience was so inspired and moved by the conference that they wanted to write a check to MATCH that amount. AMAZING! God is SO great!

But going back to the concept of grace, let me begin by sharing Romans 5:1-2 with you:

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God."

I have recently learned and been awakened to the true meaning of the grace that God gives us, through his son Jesus Christ. And it wasn't until I had fallen to the bottom of the pit, until I had given way to sin and been overcome by the sinful desires of my flesh, that I was able to truly grasp and hold on grace and allow God to free me and truly wake me up.

Psalm 119:32 says:

"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free."

One of the speakers at Passion explained grace in the following way: The cross is where our sinful nature intersects with God's glory and power, thus resulting in the magnificent love and grace that is given to us when we are so completely undeserving and unworthy.

Now that I can feel myself wrapped up in grace, I am completely happy and my heart has never experienced so much joy.

And when it boils down to it, it all goes back to faith. I don't deserve grace, or blessings, or joy from God. But because of my faith, because I truly believe in God and the good news of the gospel, I get all of this and more! Paul explains this in his letter to the saints in Ephesus in Ephesians 2:8-10:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus..."

To close, the following are lyrics from a song we sung in praise at Passion:

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.

Living in Your freedom we see Your glory.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty

We are Yours and Yours is the Kingdom!"