By, Stephanie Bowman
Ahh, New Years. The time of year when we all make “resolutions” …and if you are anything like me, forget them as fast as you made them! My husband jokes that he makes the same resolution every year — to not make resolutions. Seems easy enough to keep!
Resolutions make me think of grace. Growing up, I was told that grace is “not getting what you deserve”. But I have learned in the years since that it is so much more than that! Grace is second chances. Grace is love undeserved. Grace is seeing that there is more to be offered.
Of course, the greatest example of grace was the day our Lord took our sins upon Him on the cross and provided a way for those sins to be covered. That day, the price for our sins was paid in full. No questions asked, no requirements needed aside from the accepting of the free gift given.
Two of my favorite words in the Scriptures come from Ephesians 2 — But God. The following words are ones we know well. Describing God as rich in mercy, loving, making us alive. It’s beautiful language and so comforting. But what really speaks to me are the words before this. “Dead in trespasses and sins, walked according to the course of this world, conducted ourselves in the lust of the flesh.” (Eph. 2:1-3)
It’s like our resolutions. We start out strong, but as time goes by, we forget those “resolutions”, and start going back how we were before. By the time October, November comes around, we are right back into our old habits. We long to seek God daily, but the pull of the world is so strong. As humans, we fail! But. God. You see, this is where grace comes in. Even though we were dead in sin and walked as the world walks, God shows us that beautiful mercy and grace and renews our spirits each time we call out to Him. He never leaves. He shows us grace time and time again.
As we start out 2022, remember that His grace truly is “sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (I Corinthians 12:9). We may fail daily, we may struggle with weakness multiple times. We only need to remember “but God”, and know His grace is there for the taking. All we have to do is ask.
Comments