We Have Hope Because Of God’s Grace

by Kevin Burton

   God’s grace is truly amazing. But what does it look like in everyday life?

   Here is a poem, written by an anonymous elementary school teacher, that paints us a great picture:

A New Sheet

He came to my desk with a quivering lip

the lesson was done
“Have you a new sheet for me, dear teacher?
I’ve spoiled this one.”
I took his sheet, all soiled and blotted
and gave him a new one all unspotted.
And into his tired heart I cried,
“Do better now, my child.”

A New Day

I went to the throne with a trembling heart;
the day was done.
“Have you a new day for me, dear Master?
I’ve spoiled this one.”
He took my day, all soiled and blotted
and gave me a new one all unspotted.
And into my tired heart he cried,
“Do better now, my child.”

   A clean sheet, a new day, undeserved but granted nevertheless.  And in the poem, the admonition, “do better.”

   It hurts me deeply to think how many days I’ve spoiled. I am angry with myself and despairing. Then that one remedy comes into focus, the grace of God. 

   “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him” Lamentations #:22-24 KJV.

   “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV.

   I feel a great weight, then that weight is lifted.

   “To fully understand grace, we need to consider who we were without Christ and who we become with Christ,” reads a passage on www.gotquestions.org.

   “We were born in sin (Psalm 51:5), and we were guilty of breaking God’s holy laws (Romans 3:9–20, 23; 1 John 1:8–10). We were enemies of God (Romans 5:6, 10; 8:7; Colossians 1:21), deserving of death (Romans 6:23a). We were unrighteous (Romans 3:10) and without means of justifying ourselves (Romans 3:20). Spiritually, we were destitute, blind, unclean, and dead. Our souls were in peril of everlasting punishment.”

   “But then came grace. God extended His favor to us. Grace is what saves us (Ephesians 2:8). Grace is the essence of the gospel (Acts 20:24). Grace gives us victory over sin (James 4:6). Grace gives us “eternal encouragement and good hope” (2 Thessalonians 2:16). Paul repeatedly identified grace as the basis of his calling as an apostle (Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 3:10; Ephesians 3:2, 7). Jesus Christ is the embodiment of grace, coupled with truth (John 1:14),” the website reads.

   The gospel message is the good news of God’s grace. If you’re confused by the Bible, just know that the whole book is the story of God’s grace to you.
   “Grace can be variously defined as “God’s favor toward the unworthy” or “God’s benevolence on the undeserving,” reads the website
   “The Bible repeatedly calls grace a “gift” (Ephesians 4:7). This is an important analogy because it teaches us some key things about grace:
   “First, anyone who has ever received a gift understands that a gift is much different from a loan, which requires repayment or return by the recipient. The fact that grace is a gift means that nothing is owed in return.
   “Second, there is no cost to the person who receives a gift. A gift is free to the recipient, although it is not free to the giver, who bears the expense. The gift of salvation costs us sinners nothing. But the price of such an extravagant gift came at a great cost for our Lord Jesus, who died in our place.
   “Third, once a gift has been given, ownership of the gift has transferred and it is now ours to keep. There is a permanence in a gift that does not exist with loans or advances. When a gift changes hands, the giver permanently relinquishes all rights to renege or take back the gift in future. God’s grace is ours forever.”
   Finally, the Bible teaches that grace is completely unmerited. The gift and the act of giving have nothing to do with our merit or innate quality (Romans 4:4; 11:5–6; 2 Timothy 1:9–10). In fact, the Bible says clearly that we don’t deserve God’s salvation. Romans 5:8–10 says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” reads the websit4e.

   How many days lie crumbled on your living room floor, all soiled and blotted?  Won’t you turn to Jesus now and accept God’s great, unmerited gift?

   “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 NKJV