What is grace? It’s a word we 
use so much, it’s at the heart of the bible- but what does it mean?
I remember arriving at SCPC, making friends and joining a small group and really being amazed at how often “grace” or “God’s grace” was mentioned. I’d always think- “I cant believe they care so much about the way God moves” But i was way off in my understanding of God’s grace wasn’t I? Grace isn’t about dancing or fluency of movement, as i thought. It means undeserved or unmerited favour.
Check out this explanation from a writer called Paul Zahl:
What is grace? Grace is love that seeks you out when you have nothing to give in return. Grace is love coming at you that has nothing to do with you. Grace is being loved when you are unlovable. The cliché definition of grace is “unconditional love.” It is a true cliché, for it is a good description of the thing…Let’s go a little further, though.
Grace is a love that has nothing to do with you, the beloved. It has everything and only to do with the lover. Grace is irrational in the sense that it has nothing to do with weights and measures. It has nothing to do with my intrinsic qualities or so-called “gifts” (whatever they may be). It reflects a decision on the part of the giver (the one who loves) in relation to the receiver (the one who is loved) that negates any qualifications the receiver may personally hold…Grace is one-way love.
And that’s how God treats each of us. God relates to us with grace: one way love. It’s brilliant that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners christ died for us” ( Romans 5:8).
So, in response, firstly let’s be rejoicing in God’s grace to us, letting his unconditional love take hold of our lives.
And secondly, as we speak the gospel to our unbelieving friends let’s be thinking how we can help them see what God’s amazing grace really is.
Leave a Reply