I have this tendency. I think we all do. I think more about goodness than grace, and it always leaves me feeling condemned, not clean…and my life reflects it. But shouldn’t thinking about the ‘shoulds’ make us more obedient? Well, that’s where we miss it.
We constantly miss it because…there’s no power in knowing what you should do to make you do it.
The power to do is in the done….
and that’s grace….
the done.
Jesus has done for us every single thing God requires for His satisfaction…and He’s not easily satisfied. We think of the rigidity of His will as revealed in the Old Testament law and we shudder. We’re so glad we live in another dispensation.
Oh, but have you noticed what happened once Jesus appeared on the scene? He was more demanding still. He revealed that not only murder was deserving of death, but hatred. Not only the actions of your hands, but the attitude of your heart.
Unlike us, God isn’t concerned with cheap grace. He’s concerned with cheap Law…with us not realizing just how demanding He really is. How unbending, uncompromising, exacting. And how incapable, impotent, and impossibly weak we are to meet His demands.
So He did it for us. What we could not do, God did, sending His Son as sin’s offering…that the
rigid,
relentless,
righteous requirement of the
inflexible,
unyielding,
unforgiving Law might be fulfilled in us.
That’s Grace. It’s not cheap, but it is a gift. It cost Him everything, but it costs you nothing.
So lets get our minds off of goodness and onto grace…
Off of doing and onto done.
For grace is the power to do!
Link up with Lisa Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday. Today’s prompt is GRACE.
Great thoughts here – you have me thinking! Something to meditate on this week. Thank you 🙂
Your thinking on this will make at least two of us meditating on it. What a constant reminder I need. Thanks so much for stopping by, Lizzy. It’s a pleasure to meet you.
I like how you said the power to do is in the to done. That is grace, isn’t it? We can never do enough to earn his grace. He just gives it out of his immeasurable love. Awesome! I may join your photo challenge too. Thanks for stopping by my blog and letting me “find” you 🙂
Thanks for returning the visit. Yes, His love is beyond measure…and the source of His amazing grace. I’d be happy to have you join the photo-a-day. I’m finding it a unique blessing. Again, thanks for visiting.
I am a big time “should – er” and I think I reject the power of grace often because I’m so focused on what I should be, should do, should say. This rearranges it all and is a powerful reminder.
Yes, why is it that we tend to reject grace just when we need it most? What don’t we get about UNDESERVED? 🙂 Thanks for taking time to visit and comment. It’s lovely to meet you.
Lisa,
You’re right! We do have lots in common. I’m thankful you left a comment at my blog so I’d find you. What a great spot you have here. I was blessed by your post today and am looking forward to reading others, too.
Why thank you, Amy! You’re so kind. Thanks for the return visit. Sounds like we’re starting a mutual admiration club. Hey…we could all use a bit of that. Actually it’s all about our admiration for Him, right? So excited to know you.
Hi Lisa. I love what you have shared in this FMF post! We can all come away refreshed and encouraged by having a great reminder of the power of grace. It is a done deal in terms of the cross and resurrection. And ongoing daily manna for our souls to strengthen, sustain, nourish and equip us to live for Christ. We are so blessed to live in the light of His sacrifice! It’s a delight to visit your page. I can see much to tempt me back! Blessings 🙂 x
Oh, Joy….YOU are a joy. Thanks for taking the time to visit and comment. Your comment is as inspiring as any post. It’s such a delight to meet you. It looks like we’ll be seeing a bit of each other in cyber-space. 🙂
So encouraging! Thanks for sharing your heart with us. 🙂
It’s a privilege. Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Jen.
Love, love, love your theme for this blog. I love the thought of “joining you in the study”! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the internets and reading and responding as well. Your message here echoes the sermon I refer to in my post – but, as our pastor says, it is so hard for us to wrap our head around the immensity of this gift. We lose sight of just how powerful it is and can be in changing our lives. I, too, like the framing of it as not the do, but the done. Great mantra to keep in mind when we start all the negative self-talk. I have followed you on bloglovin and pinterest and I’m looking forward to learning more about you and reading more from you. I always say I will do photo challenges and then I become distracted, so I will say that I find yours intriguing – like a combo of a little bit of verse reading/thinking and a little bit of photo challenge fun. So, maybe I will do this one…who knows?
Well thank you for your kind words. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I totally agree with your pastor. Our minds seem so limited in this regard. I lean on Ephesians 3 that He is able to do more than we can think – according to the power that works within us. In context it talks about comprehending God’s love, and that too is a mind-blowing truth. You’ve gotten me stirred up. 🙂 So, I would love for you to jump in on the photo challenge…any time and no matter how often. I’m just getting started with the idea so I appreciate…really appreciate your thoughts on it. Again, it’s great to meet you and thanks for your encouragement. It means a lot.
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for leaving your URL at my blog so I can visit you. You just described a big chunk of the book of Romans in your FMF post….yes, the Law condemns…its role is to point us to how we can’t do it on our own…only Jesus can, did, and it is done…and for us to live in the fullness of His grace, seeking to please God not out of a “should” but out of gratitude for what He has done…knowing we won’t be perfect this side of heaven, but in God’s eyes we are because He sees us in Christ’s perfection…astounding 🙂 Nice to meet you 🙂
Amen Dolly! The Law sure did its job, didn’t it? 🙂 And pleasing Him out of gratitude…what a wonderful way to put it. Thanks so much for the return visit.