The You God Sees 4.

“… to the praise of His glorious grace which He has freely given us in the THE ONE He loves. In Him we have redemption through his blood; the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1: 6 – 8)

What is this “Grace” that gets so much mention in 1st Century conversations about Jesus?

Simply, it is God’s favor toward us. Favoring us He shows good-will toward us. He’s loving and kind. He gifts us. He is bountifully beneficent with us. He is “lavish” in His generosity with us.

Often, when people try to explain this immeasurable – over-the-top – love, they will add phrases like, “undeserved;” “unmerited.” For example they will say, “Grace” is “undeserved favor.” This nuance is not present in the Greek work “charis,” from which we get “Grace.” “Grace,” in the sense of the Greek word Paul used, is “favor,” and those things which characterize such “good-will.” It's focus is on God; His favor toward us; and His determination to deal with us extravagantly.

Certainly we are undeserving. But God values us anyway. The decision to sacrificially love us and rescue us from our “free will” gone awry was made before ever a word of Creation was spoken. Grace pervades the Cosmos and always has. It is in the heart of God – Father, son, and Holy Spirit – to favor one another. That same favor is extended to humankind.

The undeserving aspect of God’s Grace toward us is necessary for us to grasp. We are unworthy. God loves us anyway. In another letter Paul writes, “Very rarely will anyone die for another man – even a righteous man – though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”(Romans 5: 7 & 8) “While we were still sinners;” utterly and completely undeserving. At precisely that moment, when we were – everyone of us – fallen, broken, unworthy, God performs the most dramatic act of Grace ever to be witnessed. This is His favor being played out despite our unworthiness. His love overlooks the wretched condition of the beloved and loves him or her anyway. We cannot ignore this.

A few years ago I was asked to perform a Graveside Memorial Service for a Woman who’d been married to a Jewish man. She was Christian. Her Husband had been dead for some time and her believing Family of origin had arranged for a Christian burial. They asked me to conduct the Service. They were completely surprised and shocked when several of her Husband’s Family showed up. There’d been no response from them when notice of the woman’s death was sent out; not so much as a word of sympathy or regrets. There was an Adult Son from her Husband’s previous Marriage. With him was a much younger and immodestly dressed Wife. Later – inconsiderately later – the Son's Children arrived. They were ostentatiously wealthy and let it be known that they were part of the “Entertainment Establishment.” One young man in particular was insolently flagrant about his importance. I’d already begun the Service but he ignored me as he greeted his Dad and demonstrably hugged his Stepmother. I spoke of Grace in the Service explaining that we must understand it’s unmerited, yet freely offered to those who acknowledge its cost to God, and their need of it. After I’d offered the final prayer this outspoken young man said, in a loud voice, “Unmerited!? How do you like that Dad?” This highly indulged young man wore his status symbols like a “sandwich board.” He was somebody! He didn’t need “Grace.” Nor did any of his elite Family and fellow “glitterati.”

We, Children of Adam and Eve, will never taste the bountiful “Grace” of our Heavenly Father until we recognize it’s something we can’t do without. THANK GOD! His love takes care of that. “(T)was Grace that taught my heart to fear, “ John Newton wrote in the song “Amazing Grace.” Over 4 hellish weeks he’d been driven to the brink of death in a storm at sea. The ship was badly damaged. There was little food left. Their vessel, outfitted for the tropics, had been carried into the North Atlantic by the tempestuous winds. He knew he would die in those icy waves. When, miraculously, they came near the Irish Coast Newton bowed in amazement that God would so obviously save “a wretch” like him from certain death.

Grace really is that “Amazing”! We know we’re “Miserable Offenders.” God, uncompromisingly Graceful, sees us as invaluable; worth whatever it costs to rescue us!