Wondrous Grace
A WOMAN STOPPED to shake hands with me as she left church one Sunday. I had preached on the subject of God’s grace, and she was puzzled as she whispered softly, “Does God really forgive us—of all our sins?â€
“Yes,†I replied without hesitation, “each and every one.†Her eyes welled up with tears, and I knew at some point she had faced a very deep hurt or trial.
No doubt someone reading this may have wondered, “How could God possibly forgive me after what I have done?†“Even if He does forgive, surely, He will not bless my life like He does others.â€
The parable of the prodigal son gives us a glimpse of God’s grace in action. Not only did the prodigal take his inheritance and leave home, he left all that he knew was right. He marched off and squandered his money on riotous living. In the end he did not even own a pair of sandals. At his lowest point, the
Bible tells us he was feeding swine and eating out of their food supplies (Luke 15:15-16).
However, when he came to his senses, he made the decision to return home and ask for his father’s forgiveness (Luke 15:20).
The young man did not calculate his failures by his father’s grace, which retained him as a son. When his father saw him walking down the road, he rushed out to meet him and proclaimed, “Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the
fattened calf . . . let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found†(Luke 15:22-24).
Grace is God’s unmerited love and blessings poured out on your life. You cannot out sin or out run His grace and love. Nothing has the power to impact your life like the grace of God. It changes everything!
God, being rich in mercy . . . made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)
(By Dr. R.A. Forrest (1881-1959), Toccoa Falls, Georgia, TFC Founder and President. Taken from the book: Leaves From the Tree God Planted © 2006 by Toccoa Falls College, p.78-79)