Past Devotions

It was during a difficult time in my life when I first heard the song, “Except for Grace*,” by The Martins. To say it touched my soul would be an understatement. [*written by Jeff Silvey, link below]

Listen to the verses: “1) You’ve lost it all, your dignity and pride. A sinking soul swimm’in in the tears you cried. Alone and hopeless without a word to say, Cause guilt has taken it all away. 2) We’ve all stood right where you’re at, facing the shame of failures and regrets, Leaving us empty, broken and afraid to dream, Cause sin has stripped us clean of everything.”

I have been there. Have you? I have stood before the law of God in that place of failure, regret, and brokenness. I have had sin strip me of everything. I have been hopeless and consumed with guilt. But I met Christ Jesus, and now I sing the chorus!

“Except for grace and our faith, And knowing that God’s love will forgive mistakes. There’s nothing that can clear our painful pasts, Bear our bitter pain, or will ever take our place Except for grace!”

“Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” [John 1:16-17 HCSB]

We no longer must stand before the law, sin-filled, hopeless, facing punishment. Grace and truth came to us through Christ Jesus our Savior and LORD. On His cross He cleared our painful pasts, bore our bitter pain and took our place. Glory to His Wonderful Name! Amen

(768) The Martins - Except for Grace/Grace Grater Than Our Sin [Live] - YouTube

My thoughts at the beginning of this 2020 Christmas Season are centered on God’s grace. The Apostle John is quite clear in his Gospel’s opening chapter that Christ Jesus, the Word made flesh, is resplendent with grace and truth. He used the word “pleres” in the Greek which we translate as “full” in the English. Grace and truth were complete, abounding in our Savior and Lord.

John also reminds us, however, that out of His fullness we receive grace. And not just a single dose of grace when we first come to Him at salvation, but an experience of grace that continues to grow and expand in us.

“Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” [John 1:16-17 HCSB]

His fullness of grace given to us leads us to a fuller experience of God’s goodness. And the more grace we experience, the more grace we receive.  It is as John writes, “grace after grace.”

Every time we experience God’s love, grace flows to us. Every time we bask in His presence, grace grows in us. Every time we consider our worth attained in what God was willing to pay for us, grace abounds in us. Grace becomes our spiritual life’s blood and permeates every part of our being.

Without God’s grace I am nothing. I would return to what I was before salvation, empty, sin-filled, hopeless, and lost. But God will never remove His grace from me … nay … He causes His grace to grow in me so that I may be conformed to the image of His dear Son. He causes His grace to abound so that I might reflect the “grace & truth” of my Savior and LORD to a world that is dying.

Grace, grace, God’s grace … how wonderful!

When the nation of Israel returned from their Babylonian captivity, they faced ruins. The temple and the city of Jerusalem needed rebuilding. They would have to do it in the face of opposition and multiple attempts to stop them.  At one point, God brought a word to their leader, Zerubbabel.  It was a promise that he and the people would complete the work of rebuilding the temple, but it would not be done through human might (resources), nor human power (strength).

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by strength or by might, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts. ‘What are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. And he will bring out the capstone accompanied by shouts of: Grace, grace to it!’”  [Zechariah 4:6-7 HCSB]

If Zerubbabel and the people thought they were in this battle to rebuild alone, they were greatly mistaken. In fact, rebuilding the temple of the LORD by their human means alone would be impossible.  Human means are limited. God assured them however, that the temple would be completed by God’s Spirit. The completion of the impossible task would stand as a witness to God’s activity.

God is not interested in just rebuilding temples; He is interested in “building” us into a testimony of His love and grace.  The word to Zerubbabel in the OT often reminds me of the word to the Philippians in the NT.  “I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 1:6 HCSB]

The wonderful work that God began in us will be completed – not through our human might (resources) nor our human power (strength). It will be completed by God’s Holy Spirit (with our cooperation)!

And one day, when we stand in the presence of our Gracious Father and the multitudes of saints and angels around His throne, He will bring out the capstone of our lives and heaven will resound with shouts of: “Grace, grace to it!”