Surprised by Grace

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,^[1] (Eph 3:20)

As much as we pray, seek God’s face, and believe Him, it is still often hard to understand just how good and generous He really is.  We are frequently surprised by grace. The early church had this problem also.  In Acts chapter 12 we see that Herod had James the brother of John put to death and Peter imprisoned.  In response, the church prayed diligently:

So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God (Acts 12:5)

The Lord answered their prayers dramatically.  He sent an angel to wake Peter, remove his chains, and escort him from the prison.  Even Peter had trouble believing what was happening!

And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. (Acts 12:9)

Peter was surprised by grace.

Once he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark.  When he arrived and began knocking, they were hesitant to let him in.

When he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer. When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate. They said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.” But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. (Acts 12:13-16)

The church was surprised by grace.

Likewise, we often underestimate the goodness and power of the Lord.  He is indeed able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we ask or think.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; (2 Cor 9:8)

Consider the extreme promises Paul shares: all grace abound, all sufficiency, in everything, an abundance for every good deed.

 Philippians 4:19 says something similar: And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Of course, it is a good to remember these amazing promises are in the context of giving to others, not to spend on ourselves.  But that shouldn’t take away from the strong and clear message they convey.  God is willing and able to provide for us graciously and meet our every need.  Need, not greed.

Jesus taught a similar truth in the Sermon on the Mount:

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Mt 6:30-33)

 Our sin sick hearts have trouble comprehending just how good and gracious God really is.  Maybe we think that we must earn His favor by meritorious works.  How foolish.  Who are we to think we can do anything good enough for a perfect, holy God?

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. (Isa 64:6b)

Possibly we think that the Creator of all things has little time for us.  Maybe we think he has more important concerns than our needs.  Think again. Jesus spoke to this fallacy.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. (Lk 12:6-7)

Consider Jesus.  He loved us so much He was willing to die to bring us into fellowship with His Father.  We must embrace this truth.  Let it sink down deep into our hearts and minds.  Believe it.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Ro 8:31-39)

Surprised by grace?

 

 

 

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All passages in this post were taken from ^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).