Graceful Greetings

Devotion 2
9/4/08
2 Timothy 1:2

"To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."

How do you begin your notes or e-mails? I guess my Southern upbringing shines through in my correspondence because I find it difficult to just jump into business without first making a personal connection. Usually it’s something like, “Hi! Hope you’re having a good day!” Paul must have been a bit Southern because he starts his letter to Timothy with a greeting of “Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” Actually, Paul begins each of his New Testament letters with a greeting, and every single one includes the same word - GRACE.

Grace – it’s my favorite word. (Well, next to God and Jesus.) Grace is like air. We can’t live without it. We have to have it, and there’s no way we can get it for ourselves. Grace must be given – that’s why it’s a gift. God’s gift. Grace is God giving us good things we don’t deserve. Mercy is God NOT giving us the bad things we DO deserve. We need both, and thankfully, our wonderful God specializes in sharing them with His children.

Grace is the theme of the Bible all the way from Genesis’ beginning creation to Revelation’s ending invitation. And grace is God’s theme in our life stories too. There are so many ways God lavishes His grace on us. Ultimate grace was given at the cross when Jesus died to give us life we don’t deserve. And each moment we find ourselves amazed by God’s everyday grace that fills our lives, gives us strength, and holds us close.

The word grace is first used in the Bible in the story of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, Isaac’s mommy. Isaac’s old mommy. Isaac’s connvining-not-convinced mommy. Isaac’s chuckling-instead-of-trusting mommy. Isaac’s lying mommy. Oh yes, it’s all there. When Abraham was 75 years old and Sarah 65, God promised Abraham that one day they would have a son. Eleven years later, the cradle was still empty, so Sarah took matters into her own hands and suggested that Abraham try having a child by her maid. Well, that rendezvous produced a baby (and a bunch of problems) but not the promised blessing. So, thirteen years later, God appeared to Abraham and said that in a year Sarah would give birth to a son. I love how the Bible phrases what happened. “Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.” In other words, she was eavesdropping – big time!! (But who could blame her? It’s not every day the Lord shows up for lunch!) So Sarah heard and Sarah laughed. “Why did Sarah laugh? Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God asked Abraham. “I did not laugh,” she lied through her teeth! “Yes, you did laugh,” was God’s reply. But His answer showed up a year later as the 90 year old Sarah and the 100 year old Abraham heard the beautiful first cries of their bouncy baby boy. (Who, by the way, God had pre-named Isaac which means “he laughs”!) Genesis 21:1 says it this way, “The Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and He did for Sarah what He had promised.”

That’s grace. And it’s all God. “The Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and He did for Sarah what He had promised.” What did Sarah do? Nothing. (OK, I know labor isn’t “nothing” but…) Really, Sarah did nothing – except get gifts she did not deserve poured into her life. God was gracious. He said it. He did it. He promised it. He kept His promise.

Actually, when you think about it, what did Sarah do? Nothing but distrust, scheme, doubt, and lie. And God still gave her baby Isaac. Why? Because that’s grace. Grace is not based on who we are but on who God is. Grace is not a reward for our goodness; it’s a result of God’s goodness.

Grace. It’s what made us His. It’s what makes us like Him. It’s what keeps us with Him. No wonder Paul starts all his letters with the desire for his friends to experience God’s grace! What wonder God desires to give us His grace to experience! Ah, but that’s what makes grace, well…GRACE!

I guess all this makes, “Hi! Hope you’re having a good day,” sound kind of weak!!

TIME FOR A LITTLE R&R

Recognize
What “good gifts” has God given you in the past few days? (Remember grace comes in all sorts of shape and sizes. God is a very “varied” giver!)

Respond
Gratitude is our answer to grace. Say a prayer, write a poem, compose a song, do something that praises God for those good gifts of grace in your life. (And don’t forget to say thanks to the person God used if He gave you grace through someone else!)

Everyday Grace

The warmth of the sun as a new day begins,
The sweet smell of rain, a child’s toothless grin,
The touch of a friend, the taste of a tear,
Beat a rhythm divine and cause me to hear...

Your everyday grace flowing down from Your throne;
You fill up my life. God, You’ve made me Your own.
You pour out Your love; You show me Your face,
As I live out each moment in Your everyday grace.

Your blood-stained cross and the empty grave
Knock me to my knees, Lift my hands in praise;
For You give me life and You hand me hope.
You call my name and You draw me close,

In Your everyday grace flowing down from Your throne;
You fill up my life. God, You’ve made me Your own.
You pour out Your love; You show me Your face,
As I live out each moment in Your everyday grace.