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That's grace!
'grace was given me' EPHESIANS 3:8
If you were asked to describe yourself in two words, what would you choose? I'm guessing you probably wouldn't get what God would say about you; He says 'pure joy'. Maybe not the first two words that spring to mind! But that is what grace is all about. It means 'pure joy' - although you don't deserve it, God considers it a pure joy to save you. What do you make of that?!? This 'grace' stuff can be a bit hard to get your head around. In John 8, a woman is caught committing adultery. The law makes no bones about her punishment; the Pharisees are eager to stone her. Jesus,
being righteous, surely must agree? Without a lawyer to defend her, or even a character witness, things aren't looking good. But suddenly Jesus starts to write in the sand. We're not told what, but some have suggested maybe a list of their sins, complete with times and places. Ouch! When He's done, her accusers are gone. He says, '..."neither do I condemn you...Go now and leave your life of sin"' (John 8:11 NIV).
Jesus lifted her from a position of undeniable guilt to one of unconditional pardon. She didn't deserve it, and didn't know it was possible. And that's your story too, isn't it? We all mess up, and don't deserve God's love; but by His grace, we get it. How awesome is that!
written by Bob Gass
