Back to the Basics of Grace

Today, I’m reminded once again of that beautiful word “grace.” It just seems too small of a word to hold so much meaning. Its Greek word is “charis” (Χάρις). (I’m attempting to learn Greek and it’s fun for me  to use what little I know and show you how it looks, so humor me!) Grace is simply a gift extended that we cannot earn. It is a benevolent kindness to the needy. Biblically, the needy have nothing to give. The needy are beggars: blind, crippled, hungry, thirsty, undone.

Many of you know I’ve written a Bible study regarding our worth and identity in Jesus Christ. It is something God has imprinted over and over again on my heart. And He continues… Obviously it's something I struggle with, maybe not as bad as I used to, but still do, nonetheless.

Living in this western culture which focuses on performance, image, materialism and status, no wonder we get off track. My husband and I don’t watch the main television channels often, but last night we saw some previews for shows that blew our minds. Our culture is rapidly changing, for the worse. It was a shock to see the messages the media are sending to America and who knows where else? I hate to be bleak, but the demoralization of our nation is swiftly spiraling out of control. The question we must ask ourselves is: what voice am I listening to? Is it truth? Is it a voice that changes with the times, or a constant voice, steady and resolved?

You see, the voices around us tell us we must look a certain way, earn a certain amount of money, have the nicest houses, drive the coolest cars and the list goes on and on. And we believe these are the things that bring us value and recognition. These things take a tremendous amount of energy and money to maintain, and yet they still leave us feeling cheap and worthless at the end of the day. Because the message that we are believing is that we are not enough in ourselves. And we are enough, yet we’re not. Let me elaborate.

Without Christ, we’re beggars. With Christ, we’re sons and daughters of the most high God. But for some reason, we get wrapped up in this world over and over again and live according to its values, or lack thereof. Jesus told the church in Laodicea, “Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy and have need of nothing—and do not know that you are wretched, poor, blind, and naked…” (Rev. 3:17) This church was looking at materialistic wealth as bringing them importance—they had need of nothing. But in reality, because they did not need God as they were supposed to--they were wretched, poor, blind, naked. Strong words, aren’t they? They had lost their identity and value in Jesus Christ.

Sisters, without Christ, we cannot bring anything to God's table which earns us His approval; we are in debt. Why are we seeking the world's approval? Why do we listen to the loud voices of the media? Paul said in Galatians 1:10, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Our lives show who we are aiming to please. And when we aim to please people, we are placing Christ lower than people. If we are aiming to please God, we must remember to live by what He values. Thankfully, we don't have to strive to please God. We simply must have faith (Hebrews 11:6)--faith that His grace is enough. We came to Jesus empty-handed. He has given us all we have. We have not earned one thing we have. Even if we worked for it. He gave us the energy and ability to earn that money. He gave us the job. Our giftedness is also a result of His grace; we could not manufacture it. Every good gift comes from the Father (James 1:17). We must get back to the basics of grace. Job 1:21 says, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there.” God, through Jesus Christ, accepted us naked (spiritually speaking) with nothing to offer. When we leave this earth to our eternal home, we will not be able to take our image, positions or materialistic goods. By grace through faith in the power of the blood of Jesus' sacrifice, we came to Jesus. By that same grace and faith we will go to Jesus. Let’s live in that grace today. He says that we are enough in Him. The Father is satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. Let’s shift our gaze off of the world and its vices and look heavenward, where our Father sits enthroned on high and says with a steady, constant resolve, “You are enough in Christ. You’ve been made complete through His blood. Rest from your striving—it is finished. You are accepted, beautiful, valuable, gifted, loved greatly, cherished. Now live in that place, and thrive.” 

He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9