This year (2018) I chose 2 Corinthians 8v9 as my Christmas Bible verse and over the Christmas period have been thinking about various aspects of God’s grace. Here are just a few of my thoughts:

2 Corinthains 8v9

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV

Free unmerited favour of God

Grace is the free, unmerited and undeserved favour of God. We certainly do not deserve God’s favour nor can we do anything to merit it. In comparison with mercy, God’s grace is where He gives us what we do not deserve; God’s mercy is where He does not give us what we do deserve.

I could not help but think as I went about Christmas of all the blessings that God has showered upon us in His grace….food, clothes, presents, warm home, carol singing, family, and so much more. As we sat around the Christmas tree with the lights on and exchanged our gifts and then as we sat at the table filled with delicious food prepared by Isaac and Jemima, I could not help but think that God graciously provided this all for us. Not only that, we have technology, internet and social media to share our Christmas thoughts with others. Thank you Lord for giving us all these things. 

God’s Amazing Grace

However, my thoughts go to God’s amazing grace in sending Jesus to save us from our sins. I cannot fathom the depths of the riches of His grace and no matter how hard I try, I just cannot understand what it meant for the Lord Jesus to lay aside His glory and leave the splendors of heaven to come down to this old sin-cursed world. He was unimaginably rich and yet He was born in a dirty stinking old stable and laid in a manger that the animals fed from. The Son of God and King of kings was born in such poverty for our sakes. He was poor while He lived on earth. 

He grew up and although He lived a perfect life, wicked men took Him and mocked Him and whipped Him until His back was like a bleeding ploughed field. Then, they nailed Him to the cross where He endured all the wrath of God for our sins. He rose from the dead and went back to the glories of heaven. His sacrifice means that we can be spiritually rich if we repent and accept Him as our Only Saviour from sin, and then we will enjoy heaven with Him.

2 Corinthians 8v9

Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. By Him came grace and truth (John 1v14+17). By the grace of God He tasted death for every person and now He is crowned with glory and honour (Hebrews 2v9). By grace we are saved (Ephesians 2v8+9).

Riches of His grace

As believers we can enjoy the riches of His grace in this life too! Redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins. There are just so many blessings in the riches of His grace for believers, in this life as well as the next life.

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”Ephesians 1v7

Sing with grace

Sing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. God’s grace should be so abounding in our hearts that we just cannot contain the joy and we just have to burst out into praise for all He has done for us.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”Colossians 3v16

Pray boldly for grace

Pray with boldness, and yet reverently. On the basis of what Christ has accomplished on Calvary we have the right to come boldly into the presence of God and claim mercy and grace to help in time of need.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”Hebrews 4v16

In conclusion, I would ask you to reflect upon the grace of God. What does Christmas really mean to you? How have you experienced the grace of God in your life? What do you intend to do in appreciation of God’s amazing grace?


This was originally posted 27th Dec 2018 on Google+