WHAT IS GRACE?
27th Nov 2024
I am using the Contemporary English Version for my daily Bible reading, and I was reading out loud to Joyce the Bible passage for the day from Revelation 1. I had reached verse 4 and read, “I pray that you will be blessed with kindness and peace from God…” Joyce stopped me at that point and said, “That does not sound very familiar, what does it say in the NIV?”
The NIV says, “Grace and peace to you from him who is, and was, and is to come…” It was the word “grace” that was missing. To be “blessed with kindness” is not “grace”! I then began thinking about the word “grace”.
Grace is a strong word which carries with it power, forgiveness, protection, wisdom and releases God’s resources to his people.
Ephesians 2:8 says, “For is it by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” This is the “grace” that brings us salvation, it rescues us from our old sinful life, cleanses us and brings us into close and living relationship with the Father. That is powerful.
Paul was being troubled by a thorn in the flesh, which could well have been persecution. The Lord’s answer was not to remove this torment, but to tell him, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) Here again “grace” is strong, it is providing resources to triumph in the face of difficulties and life challenges. Later Paul declares, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
Hebrews 4:16 is encouraging us to come boldly to God in a moment of crisis, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Here again “grace” is strong and will be effective in our lives.
Isaiah 30:18 says, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you: he rises to show compassion on you.” Don’t allow “grace” to be a limp and soft word, remember the Lord is wanting to give you the resources of His “grace” for every situation and challenge you are facing.
by Charles Sibthorpe
