The Place of Grace
October 1, 2008
by Maria Simone
Grace. A word I have struggled to understand since I came to know Jesus 8 years ago. I used to think grace was God picking up where I left off, that I was supposed to do everything I could, and God would make up the difference. The problem with that definition is that it keeps me striving forward in my own self-effort. God has recently begun to show me that grace is a place, a place where I already am, and the place from which I must begin if I am to fulfill His purpose for my life.
Ephesians 2:6 says “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus”. If you have received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then you have been raised up with Christ and you are now, at this very moment, seated with Him in the heavenly realms. Seated with Christ - not working your way to get there, not hoping you’ll be there some day - seated with Christ, right now, because the blood of Jesus has washed away your sins and there is now nothing between you and God.
What are the benefits of this place of grace? The benefits are endless, but I will focus on two in particular - love and security. The first benefit is living in God’s unconditional love. 1 John 4:10 says “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins”. Living in the place of grace means living in the REAL love of God, all the time, in all circumstances. In failure, in success, in joy and in sorrow, you are in His love, and nothing can take you out of it, ever. You are loved for who you are, God’s precious child, not for what you do.
The second benefit of living in the place of grace is security. Psalm 91:11 says “For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways” Guarded in ALL your ways - everywhere you go, at all times, in all circumstances, regardless of how bad things look. Psalm 121:8 says “the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore”. There is nothing else in life that offers us this kind of security.
Can anything ever take you out of this place of grace? Romans 8:39 clearly states that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, and Jesus himself says in John 10:29 “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”. As Christians, this place of grace is our REALITY, but we must choose every day to believe and accept it as our home. The world says “you might be accepted and loved if you do well”. In direct contrast, God says “You are already loved, already accepted and already secure, this is My gift to you, and You are Mine forever”. Which will you choose to hear today?
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