in the presence of grace

As I walked home from uni today, I planned out the rest of my day. Go home, wash dishes, cook dinner, get stuff, come back to library to study. Then I remembered my assignment that needed completion, so.. go home, finish SPC, wash dishes etc. When I left home this morning, the sink was FULL of dishes, about half of which were mine. I felt so bad leaving them there like that, but didn't have time to wash them yesterday. So as I made my way back, I calculated how long it would take for me to finish washing them, dreading the task.

I came home and walked past the kitchen to my room, only to find that they were all washed. All cleaned, sparkly, and drying on the racks. I was so touched and amazed to see it all done, something that should have been my responsibility written off as settled. Moved, I learnt a lesson in grace.

Similarly, Jesus came to earth two thousand years ago to pay the price for my sins, my wrongdoings, my imperfections. It was something that should have been pinned on me, I should never have been able to be in such a close, intimate relationship with God now. I should have belonged to hell. But He came, and gave up what was most precious, His life to snatch us out of hell, that we may spend eternity with Him. God, who died on the cross for us, how crazy is that? Sometimes I get so used to the concept that I don't think twice about it anymore, but every now and then, it hits me again, God in all His holiness and perfection came down and paid a price He never needed to pay, the greatest price of all, to save us. To break the power of sin over us once and for all.

Upon seeing clean plates, I quickly inquired who was behind it, and hastened to meekly yet graciously say my thank you.

Upon knowing my sins are forgiven, and knowing the God who did it for me, what else can I possibly do but meekly say thank you as well? I can't possibly pay Him back, and I need this gift.

And to be in this relationship with Him, to have His mercies new every morning, to be a Christian simply because I'm thankful and I love Him, to have NOTHING asked of me to prove my worth to Him but to just love Him and love people, no good works to gain His affection or kind acts to earn my way into heaven, NOTHING of the sort, just accepting His innocent blood spilled as my ticket to heaven and understanding that He could never love me more than He already fully does.. that is the beauty of grace.

God's just holding His hand out to you saying, take it, take this salvation and live in the freedom I paid the price for.

Sometimes we may even feel like we don't deserve it. But what's done is done, and there is NOTHING we can ever give in return that could amount to the sacrifice He gave, and so we aim to simply give our lives for His, and live a life just loving Him every day.

How wonderful it is to be in the presence of His grace. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound indeed.

Blessed,
Candice