I was in a frustrated funk recently. I’d been working hard on something for some time, but it wasn’t going as I’d hoped. And as I unwisely allowed my focus to veer off the road God had paved with confidence, strength, and hope, I began questioning all the important whys, whats, and hows attached to what I was doing. I was tired, confused, demoralized, and frankly lonely in my labor.
Then early one morning, a short phrase in a familiar verse grabbed not only my attention but my weary heart.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me”
(1 Corinthians 15:10).
There’s no way I could recall the number of times I’d read that verse before. But on a day when I was mistakenly feeling alone in my labor (I knew better!), the timely reminder that God’s grace was laboring with me took my breath away. While it wasn’t an unfamiliar truth at all, the overwhelming thought of the unmerited favor of God laboring in, through, and beside me made me instantly dig deeper for more grace gold.
I quickly filled my journal with verse after verse of the sometimes forgotten treasure that is God’s grace. And wouldn’t you know it, I was lovingly pointed toward worship. (Shocked?)
I invite you to soak in a few of the verses I found that day to be reminded of – or maybe discover for the first time – the staggering place of grace in your worship. The incomprehensible, unmerited, undeserved favor of God is truly grace upon grace upon grace . . .
God’s grace . . .
1) Saved me.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
2) Justified me.
“. . . so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7).
3) Makes me what I am.
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, . . .” (1 Corinthians 15:10a).
4) Calls me.
“[God], who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Timothy 1:9).
5) Is sufficient for me.
“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a).
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
6) Perfects, confirms, strengthens, and establishes me.
“After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).
7) Makes it possible for me to glorify Him.
“ . . . so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:12).
8) Is the very name of His throne!
“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:15-16.
Friend, worship is the response and surrender of all I am to all God is and does – and God made me all I am! (As I seek and allow Him, of course.)
So when I come to the throne as a grace-saved, grace-justified, grace-made, grace-called, grace-empowered, grace-established believer, I’m only pouring back out to my grace-giving God all that He has lavished on me through His astonishing unmerited favor to begin with.
All He requires and desires, He generously gives me. He alone makes me acceptable to come before Him and makes it possible for me to glorify Him AT His throne of grace! How overwhelmingly humbling! How staggering!
“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace” (John 1:16).
I don’t know about you, but I need to meditate on these grace-truths a lot more often. God’s word teaches us that grace is something that can be multiplied (2 Peter 1:2) and even be transferrable (2 Corinthians 4:15). (How are we doing at that?) It’s also something we can grow in <yes!> (2 Peter 3:17-18) or fall short in <ouch!> (Hebrews 12:15).
Lord God, thank You for your overwhelming, life-enveloping, soul-infusing grace. Help us count on Your grace, grow in Your grace, and transfer Your grace to others. We humbly bow all You’ve given and made us before Your very throne of grace and give You all the glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Which one of these verses on God’s grace stands out to you the most today?
[More verses on grace for those who want to keep digging! (I’d encourage you to look these up in your own Bible.) James 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:5; John 1:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; Acts 4:33; 1 Peter 4:10; 2 Corinthians 6:1; Hebrews 13:9; 1 Peter 1:13; Acts 6:8; Romans 12:3]
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