What of Grace?

Paul asked the Galatians (after calling them foolish), "Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" The question, rhetorical, is meant to be met with a resounding, "No! Of course not, that would be ludicrous."

But we slip into a works-based mindset so easily! It is our de facto modus operandi and it is only through the work of the Spirit that we can rest in His grace. Believing, even subtly, that if we accomplish [this] that God will bless us with [that], we are saying that God's gifts are earned and not given in grace; from a pay raise to a relationship, a healing to an opportunity granted, this works mentality permeates our culture, sub-consciences and our prayers.

But what of grace?
Do we truly, deeply, fully understand God's superabundant, supernatural grace (favor) toward us?

Paul wrote to the Ephesians (vs. 1:17-19 AMP),
"For I always pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation of insight into mysteries and secrets in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him, By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints His set-apart ones, And so that you can know and understand what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength..."

To believers Paul wrote that he constantly prayed they would understand the mystery and depths of the hope we have in Christ and the knowledge of Him... I think that includes His grace (since "it is by grace [we] have been saved through faith...").

I don't think I've come close to scratching the surface of His immeasurable grace.

I seek to apply it and the Gospel of His grace in all I do, to all my relationships, and to myself daily; and yet fears, doubts and insecurities pop up as if they were part of a cosmic game of whack-a-mole that I can never win this side of eternity! Perhaps He grants us new mercies each morning because each day we realize more and more what miserable wretches we are; we need to reapply the ointment of grace to our parched and withering, sinful souls daily.

I just think... I so often doubt His willingness to bless me. At times I question my purpose or relevant place/ worth in the grand scheme of His plan. I feel as though I am of little consequence, insignificant, and cannot fathom why anyone would set their sights on me. What do I have to offer? Surely there is someone better. (Reminds me of someone... *Gideon*)

And while I think that biblically speaking, from a spiritual standpoint these suppositions are foundationally true, they also scream of ignorance of God's great grace, His redemption, His power and His sovereignty.

It is true There is no reason inherent in me for Him to bless me - Yet He has chosen to, not because of my worth but because of His great love (Eph. 2:4) and His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself (Eph. 1:9). He has hidden me in Christ, has adopted me as His daughter, betrothed me as His bride and declared me justified and righteous in Christ - And has thus promised to bless me (regardless of my natural, sinful state or worth apart from Christ).

It is also true that He doesn't need me/ that I have nothing to offer that He needs. And yet again, He has CHOSEN to use me, include me in His divine plans and accomplish His purposes in and through me as part of His body here on earth. Eph. 2:10 says we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Paul admonishes the believers in 1 Cor. 12:14-27, reminding them that though all parts of the body vary in purpose, they are all equally necessary and valuable. SO, though I deserve nothing but the fires of damnation, God has given me purpose, gifts, and prepared works for me to do in this life. So in Christ it is not true to say that I, or any other believer, am inconsequential, insignificant, or someone God should pass up for someone better.

The modern movement of human affirmation is a thorn in my eye; in the church it works itself out in common neglect of the concept of total depravity. Yet though they often leave human depravity out of the equation when affirming Christ's love for us (thus minimizing the gospel of grace, in my opinion), they DO excel I suppose in viewing Christ's bride (us) through the lens of His blood and redemption. Shall I neglect His redeeming power and grace to highlight the power of sin? Are not His grace and His power GREATER than all my sin? Surely there is some delicate balance in affirming the truth of both - And this is what I shall seek!

Grace... So easy to identify and yet so impossible to fully grasp! A lifelong quest it shall be for each of us who bear His name......