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Grace Everywhere!

Grace Everywhere!

Grace Everywhere: Before, During and After!

GRACE in the Hebrew Bible: (Hebrew, “chen” “chanan”) The centerpiece of God’s character that shows divine favor to those who don’t deserve it; the nature of God which prefers to show mercy to those who haven’t earned it; the heart of God which leans toward offering the free gift of love and acceptance to others, free of charge; God’s desire to restore and heal whose who are broken whether or not they deserve it; the lovingkindness provided by God as a free gift for no apparent reason other than sheer compassion.

GRACE in the New Testament: The Greek word here for “grace’ is the tremendously rich word of “charis,” which is usually pronounced “care-iss.” This important biblical word, used over 170 times in the New Testament, was at one point a general term adopted from Greek mythology, and could mean goodwill, loveliness, charm, sweetness, favor, and that which gives delight. But St. Paul especially expanded its meaning to point to God’s undeserved favor on us; His unearned gift of extravagant good will; His gratuitous, unmerited kindness; His unexpected spiritual blessings that bring us delight and pleasure; God’s indiscriminate free gift of acceptance with no strings attached. This is the basic concept, but Paul used “grace” as a word that summarizes all the blessings that God offers to us. “Grace and peace” is found in his closing remarks or benediction often enough. This biblical grace is an absolute truth, and so grace exists whether or not we choose to accept it. Grace is intended to be a personal experience that is lived into and fleshed out. Grace is the exhale after the inhale of Jesus into one’s life.

“What do you have that hasn’t been given to you? Isn’t everything you have and everything you are a sheer gift from God? Can you honestly take credit for something you received as a free gift from above? Grace has given you everything about yourself that is good, so why do you boast as if it is something you achieved on your own? Why do you brag about the good in your life as if you earned it, that you deserved it, knowing full well it is all graciously given to you from outside yourself?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

God must have chuckled at the popularity of the phrase “Free Love” in the 1960’s. If only they knew that the indiscriminate presence of love all points directly back to me, God says. Needless to say, the hippies didn’t exactly take that idea in the right direction. When I created this beautiful world, I was like a farmer drunk with joy, casting seeds of blessing everywhere with reckless abandon. For not particular reason, out of the goodness of My heart. Well, I do love beauty, and wholeness and truth. One might say that I initiated the world with grace, the free gift of life, and I invested Myself into the world from my storehouse of goodness.

“The LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and great in grace. The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all His creatures.” (Ps. 145:9-10).

And then I topped it all off with the centerpiece of my created universe, mankind. I bestowed the gift of my very breath of life, and I graced the world with the human being made in My image, a free gift to every person. I give each image-bearer a conscience, an imagination, reason, a body that can do things, the capacity to love… All are graces at my initiative, to kick-start life on planet earth. Blessings free of charge, no strings attached. I loaded one blessing on top of another, and I still do, because I felt like it, because I am magnanimous by nature. My universal favor on the human race includes a key component of their nature… a spiritual antennae that will sense My call to them, that will open up their eyes to the way I choose to witness to everyone through my creation.  Solomon called this placing “eternity in our hearts.”

God’s grace is everywhere, for everyone and everything. “The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy and your lovingkindness.” (Ps. 119:64; Ps. 33:5).

I’m not very economical when it comes to handing out grace. I want all my created beings to be blessed, good, bad, or indifferent. I’m like the generous bartender who shouts out, “Okay everyone! The drinks are on me! They’re on the house!” before they even walk through the door. In this way we see God spreading His goodness around, willy-nilly, to all of us, whether or not we actually believe in Him. An example of common grace would be when we see an agnostic writing a godly truth in a novel, or an atheist painting an inspired piece of art, or an unbeliever writing an exquisite, heavenly piece of music. And sometimes we witness a full-fledged skeptic extending mercy to the needy, or a friend who demonstrate goodness in his/her life. Believers do not have a monopoly on God’s goodness. Truth, goodness and beauty can be shown unintentionally, and that is God’s grace.

“God who made heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them! In times past, He allowed all peoples to walk in their own ways; yet He did not leave Himself without evidence of His nature; because He does good things, giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons, filling you with food and your hearts with happiness!” (Acts 14:15-17).

So it’s clear that it is a monumental grace to simply exist! And on top of that, I generously gave to each, in varying degrees, what was needed to flourish, the raw materials to succeed and achieve. So what’s this about being a “self-made man?” I would love it if every person would see the foolishness of that attitude. I gave them all these free grace-gifts, and they pretend to ern every blessing they get? Divine favor is not earned. No one deserves grace. They are blessings granted before they were even born. There is no such thing as self-sufficiency, or independence from Me. Let’s face it, I didn’t ask them for permission to lavish gifts on the human person, to give them life, and the capacity to flourish and experience goodness. It’s not like anyone deserves such an astounding gift. Everything you accomplish or achieve as you use my graces is actually after the fact. You’re way behind if you think you’re a step ahead of Mr. I initiated everything before you saw the light of day.

“No one can receive anything unless it has been given to Him from heaven!” (John 3:27).

Now, of course it’s important to take these graces and do something honorable and beautiful and responsible with them. But the response is often one of pride. So many people don’t want to owe anything to anybody, including Me! They don’t’ want to feel like “a charity case,” that they have earned everything they have gotten in life. So many seem to almost resent Me for giving them a kick-start in life through my grace. So many are somehow resistant to the fact that all good things have come from Me. How silly! Does anyone even seriously think they created themselves, or that they continue to create their own reality? It’s too late to claim independence from Me, Creator God. Everyone was God-sufficient, not self-sufficient, even before their first breath!

“God is kind the ungrateful and the wicked… He makes His sun shine on good and bad people alike, and He ends rain to the righteous and the unrighteous alike!” (Luke 6:35; Matthew 5:45).

So as your gracious Maker, I recommend that each person respond to all this gratuitous grace and God-initiated favor with a simple ”Thank You.” Just respond to all this unspeakable common grace with a grateful acknowledgement of My love for the world I created and for each person I have made. I would love to have everyone recognize that all this common grace is coming out of the goodness of My heart. Simple as that. But don’t stop there! Be curious about the possibility that there is much more grace waiting for those humble enough to accept it. More grace coming from the same place, which is Me. Consider that I have been planning a truckload of more grace to come your way if you choose to accept it: Graces like forgiveness, freedom from slavery to sin, salvation of your soul, healing of your brokenness, restoration into wholeness, reconciliation with Me, and a destiny of eternal life in complete joy and peace. This is all grace, and completely undeserved and unearned. Otherwise it wouldn’t be grace. In other words, once you accept My common grace, consider standing right where you are in the river of grace and receiving grace upon grace… My Son, My Spirit, My life, all of that!

“Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift given is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17).

This is my Father’s World.
(1.) This is my Father’s world, and to my list’ning ears,
All nature sings, and round me rings
The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

(2.) This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white,
Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

(3.) This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Was giv’n to show God’s love.
This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let earth be glad!

(4.) This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: The battle is not done;
Jesus who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and heav’n be one.