Good Morning! Reading Roland Bainton's biography of Martin Luther has given me a new understanding of the man who defied the pope and helped bring Germany, and ultimately the world, to discover God's grace. (If you get a chance to read this book, do it.)
Grace is such a difficult thing to grasp, even today. How could a sovereign holy God bring Himself down to our level? He doesn't! He brings us UP through the blood of His Son. But why does He do it? God wants to fellowship with us. He wants us to love Him for who He is. He doesn't need or want robots that are compelled or forced to worship Him, but loving children in adoration of their wonderful Father.
What a hard thing to understand sometimes, but it is all so easy. He made us, He loves us, He wants us to be His children, and He was willing to sacrifice His Son in order to have this fellowship with us.
So, what is Grace? Our pulpit minister tells us it is a "gift we don't deserve", and he’s right. But it is so much more than that. It is God's remarkable, wonderful loving-kindness made real and whole. It is Jesus on the cross saying "Forgive them, for they know not what they do". It's Jesus kissing Judas on his cheek, knowing even then what he had done, still loving and caring for him. It is the Resurrection. In the end, it is pure, holy, selfless LOVE! How do YOU define Grace?
