The Gift of Grace
This year my son Andrew really wanted a remote-control tank for Christmas. Although very much in keeping with his present interests, I was surprised at the request because I didn't think such a gift would prove very enjoyable. I assumed the capabilities of it would be very limiting making it disappointing. I was mistaken. This thing is sweet. It has all kinds of lights and has an authentic engine sound. It puts out water vapor that looks like exhaust. The turret rotates almost 360 degrees and the tank "recoils" when you fire the main gun. It's pretty sweet. All of us in the house are waiting our turn to drive the thing.
If great gifts can bring great joy to a child, consider what God's gifts can accomplish in our lives. The greatest gift of all is the grace of God. Without the grace of God our salvation would be impossible. But salvation is only one outworking of God's grace in our lives.
Recently I read and underlined 2 Corinthians 9:8: "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." God pours His grace out on us as believers to enable us to accomplish the work He has for us to do.
In just a few days the calendar will march on to 2024. It doesn't take clairvoyance to know that there will be some challenging moments ahead. Maybe you already know some of the obstacles that are ahead of you. At the risk of sounding uncaring, none of the details actually matter. The more you consider your obstacles and troubles, the more difficult they will seem. The thing that matters is that the grace of God will give you sufficiency in all things at all times. You aren't strong enough but the grace of God is. You aren't wise enough, but the grace of God is enough. You aren't able but God is. And that's the power of grace. When I consider the road ahead in light of the grace of God I can't wait. God is able!