God's Gracious Grace

God’s Gracious Grace 

When man takes a deep look at himself and considers his relationship with his Creator and Savior, the only words left on his lips tremble from the lesson of Christ when He said, “So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do’” (Luke 17:10). To find oneself in a position of being unprofitable is to be unworthy and useless. Physically man was created from dirt and spiritually he rebelled against the loving favor of his Maker. It must bring amazement to the angels at the pride of man who seek to make himself god and declare his own worth according to the insolence of his heart. Jeremiah declared, “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). Proverbs 14:12 shows “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (also Proverbs 16:25). All in all man has little to brag about.

When man takes a deep look at himself and considers the grace of God, the story changes. It is an immediate message of hope and grace when in the garden the Lord offers man the promise of redemption. Speaking to Satan, God says, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15). Man is not destroyed by God but saved by God and this is grace. What did man do to deserve the merits of God’s favor? Nothing. What could man do to save himself? Nothing – when he heard the Lord walking in the garden the only thing he knew to do was to hide. We are saved by God’s grace.

Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8) and “eight souls, were saved through water” (1 Peter 3:20). Did Noah understand the flood was coming apart from the Lord and when he heard of the destruction did he know what to do? The answer remains that man without God is nothing but God’s grace makes man worth something. When David sinned with Bathsheba Nathan told him, "The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die” (2 Samuel 12:13). Why? The grace of God. Jesus Christ declared to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you" (Matthew 9:2). How could He do such a thing? The grace of God.

Is there anything you and I can do that would merit God’s grace? Only one thing: “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory” (Isaiah 43:7). The gift of His Son is the price of God’s grace for man and man can do nothing to repay that debt. Can I live a sinless life to perfection to gain God’s grace? No. Paul declared, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25). Grace will be measured by my obedience to the will of God (Matthew 7:21) and through that grace I will live in the assurance of my salvation (Isaiah 32:17; Hebrews 10:22).

God’s grace allows me the blessing of knowing that death is only a bridge that takes me from this place of sorrow to the heavenly promise of redemption. I know I am saved (1 John 5:13) and the knowledge of that salvation is because of the mercy of my Father who does not condemn me (Romans 8:1). Unprofitable servants is the best we can do but the best God had is what He gave us. Thank you God for YOUR grace.