Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring. (Rom. 4:16)
MANY OF US LIVE EACH DAY as a series of battles: we have tasks to accomplish and in which we must excel. We have people to deal with, some of whom are easy for us to take and some not so easy. We have places to go, mouths to feed, jobs to do.
What if the most important thing in all of creation isn’t the things you do? What if grace is really the heartbeat of the universe? What if God’s gifts are all around us, sustaining us, breathing new life into our churches, communities, and families despite our daily battles?
If that is true, then the most important thing in all the world must be to discern grace, to recognize the pattern of God’s activity so we can recognize it and revel in it. The trouble is that we often are so consumed with our to-do lists that we never notice the grace. We gain the admiration of others when we accomplish our tasks well, and so we’re afraid to point away from ourselves and to God.
Yet what joy there is for those who can discern grace. How confident they can be that God loves them. How joyfully they can live each moment, confident there is enough for every tomorrow. If you want to know that you are a beloved child of God, learn to recognize His grace.
Name three signs of God’s grace in your life.
Michael Jordan is the dean of the chapel at Houghton College, where he also serves as chair of the Department of Biblical Studies, Theology and Philosophy.
© 2018 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
