“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” — 1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV)
The Simplicity of Grace
Grace is a glorious commodity of Heaven that can only be received and experienced in surrender to the will and love of our Heavenly Father. Our world is unable to offer grace because it is in a constant state of need, and grace can only be offered from a place of true wholeness and love. In utter completeness, our God is able to offer us grace because He needs nothing from us in return. He requires nothing of us, so He offers us everything apart from any ability or inherent value we possess.
Grace comprises the core of the Christian foundation. It’s God’s grace that drove Him to send His Son as payment for our sins. It’s through grace that we enter into the fullness of restored relationship with our good Father. It’s through grace that we receive forgiveness for our sins. And it’s in the simplicity of grace that we are transformed into the very image of our Savior.
I find myself continually missing out on all that God’s grace offers me. I retreat into a lifestyle of works where I try to earn what God has already given me. I work for the love of my Heavenly Father and others, vying for affection rather than receiving the ceaseless love of God for me. I strive and work for holiness and righteousness instead of simply aligning myself with the new nature of freedom God has offered me in grace.
1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV) says, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain.” Can you say today that you are what you are by the grace of God? Is your life marked by and founded on God’s limitless supply of grace? Are your emotions, perspectives, pursuits and relationships founded on the notion that God loves you simply because He loves you? Have you found total security and rest in the loving embrace of a God who longs to fill you, sustain you, bless you, provide for you and love you simply because it’s His desire?
Allow God to fill you with a fresh revelation of His grace today. Come before Him with an open heart, and allow the truth of His unceasing and grace-filled love wash through you. Allow Him to cast out any fear, toil or burden that is keeping you from the abundant life available to you. Spend time in prayer being transformed by the simplicity of grace.
— Craig Denison, First 15
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