Tag: Miscellaneous

Examples of Grace 12

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

I Samuel continues the theme of grace.

Hannah prays for a son.  God graciously gives her one.  How many times have we prayed, and God has granted our request?  We are unworthy, we constantly fail the Lord, yet he answers our prayers.  This is grace.

Throughout the book, we see God’s gracious deliverance.  The Lord delivers Israel from the Philistines.  The Lord delivers David from Saul.  How many times has God delivered us – from sickness, from trials, from danger?  This is grace.

Nabal offends David.  David prepares to take vengeance.  But God uses Abigail to stop him.  He was about to sin, but God kept him from it.  How many times has God kept us from sinning?  Keeping a temptation from us.  Removing a temptation.  Giving us strength to overcome.  This too is grace.

Let us glory in the wonderful grace of God!

Humble Gratitude

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility

A Pharisee invites Jesus to his home.  He treats Jesus rudely – neither giving him water to wash his feet or even giving  a proper greeting.  Then comes this woman.  We know little about her – only that she was a sinner.  She had a reputation – and not a good one.  Somewhere, somehow we must surmise that she had crossed paths with Jesus.  She had heard him speak of repentance and forgiveness.  She had found mercy and love and grace.  And so now she comes.  Risking the ridicule and hostility of those at the Pharisee’s house, she comes.  She begins to weep at Jesus’ feet.  She begins to anoint his feet with ointment.  She begins to wash his dirty feet with her hair, and kiss his feet.  Here is an incredible example of humble gratitude toward God.

Do we remember our past sins?  Can we see our continued failures to follow the Lord?  Are we still amazed at his mercy and love and grace in our lives?

Everything we have talked about this week in past posts – humble submission, humble worship, humble service, and humble giving will quickly become a chore, a duty, a struggle – unless it is motivated by a humble gratitude to God for all that he has done for sinners like us.

What motivates us?  Why do we do what we do?  Are we trying to earn God’s favor?  Earn our way into heaven?  Trying to impress God?  Impress others?  All of this is so much foolishness and will wear us out in the trying.

Jesus died for our sins.  He loves us in spite of our rebellion.  In humble gratitude may we give ourselves to God…like this sinful woman did.

(Luke 7:36-50)

Examples of Grace 11

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

The book of Ruth is short, but gives some great examples of grace.

Ruth is a foreigner, apart from the people of Israel, apart from God.  Yet God graciously makes her part of his people, even including her as an ancestor of Jesus. She finds refuge in God.  In the same way, Peter tells us once we were not among God’s people, but now we are God’s people (2:9-10).  In Christ we have a relationship with God.  Ruth didn’t deserve it; neither do we.  But God made us his people and drew us to himself – that’s grace.

There is also the picture of the kinsman redeemer.  Boaz is a kinsman redeemer for Ruth – marrying her and providing for her.  Jesus is our kinsman redeemer – we are the bride of Christ, and he provides for us not only our daily needs but salvation as well.  Again, we don’t deserve this – it’s all grace.

Examples of Grace 10

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

The book of Judges gives us a repeated example of grace.  The people rebel against God, and so God sends judgment.  Finally, the people call out for help.  God could have let them continue to suffer the results of their sin.  He could have let the enemy continue to dominate them.  Instead, God shows his grace.  He raises up judges through whom he rescues his people.  God sends deliverance.  Likewise we too have rebelled against God and deserve only judgment.  But if we cry out to him, God will send us deliverance.  He has raised up Jesus to rescue us from our sin and the devil.  We don’t deserve it, but God sends his grace.

Examples of Grace 09

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

The book of Joshua continues to show forth the grace of God.

God showed his grace to Joshua by promising that he would be with Joshua wherever he went.  God would not leave him or forsake him.    This indeed is grace, and we know that it is true for us as well.  Jesus promised to be with us always to the end of the age.  So whatever we face, we need not fear or be dismayed.  We can be strong and courageous for God is with us!

God also showed his grace to Rahab.  As one of the Canaanites, she was to be wiped out, but God showed her grace, sparing her life.  She even is found in the genealogy of David and Jesus.  We too deserve only judgment, but God has poured out his grace upon us through Jesus, making us part of his family.

God showed his grace to Israel by bringing them into the Promised Land.  And he will one day show his grace to us by bringing us to a new Promised Land – the new heaven and earth where there will be no more suffering, pain, sin, or death.  In Jesus, truly we have been given grace upon grace.

Examples of Grace 08

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

Deuteronomy is Moses’ review of Israel’s history and God’s commands for the generation about to enter the Promised Land.  In this book, there are some wonderful examples of grace.

God is a great God who is near to Israel and hears them when they call upon him (4:7).  In the same way, God is near to us today.  By his Spirit, he is present with us always.  No matter what we face, God is with us.  And he hears us when we pray.  He is not to busy to listen to our cares.  And as a great God he has the power to answer our prayers.  Yet as sinners we do not deserve his presence or his listening ear.  That he gives us both is all grace.

God delivered the people from slavery in Egypt (5:6).  In the same way, God has delivered us from slavery to sin.  Once we were in bondage to sin, but now we are free to live for Christ.  Again we did not deserve this, but he has poured out his grace upon us.

God chose Israel to be his treasured possession – not because they were great, but simply because God chose to love them (7:6-8).  They were not lovable (indeed they were repeatedly rebellious), but God chose to love them.  In the same way, while we were still sinners, God loved us, and saved us, and chose us as his treasured people (Romans 5:8, I Peter 2:9-10).  Ponder what it means to be chosen as God’s treasured people!  Grace.

God promised the people that another prophet like Moses would come (18:15-19).  And so he has come – our Lord Jesus Christ who revealed to us the way of God.  Where would we be without Christ?  Lost forever.  But he did come – and that is grace.

Finally, God gave the people good things for them to enjoy (26:11).  And so he showers good things upon us to enjoy.  That is grace.

And how should we respond?  “…worship before the Lord your God.  And you shall rejoice in all the good that the Lord your God has given to you…” (26:10-11).  As we ponder God’s amazing grace, let us rejoice and worship the Lord today!

Examples of Grace 07

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous1 Comment

As I continue to trace God’s grace through the Bible, let me share a couple of examples from the book of Numbers.

Israel rebels against God by refusing to enter the Promised Land.  God could have wiped them out then and there, indeed he threatens to do it.  But Moses intercedes, and God spares them. How many times do we rebel against God?  How often do we sin?  How often do we fail to do what God calls us to do?  Yet through Christ God forgives and spares us again and again.  That’s grace.

Not only does God spare them, but he chooses to bless them.  Balaam is hired by Israel’s enemy to curse Israel.  Instead God requires Balaam to bless his people.  God teaches Aaron and his sons a blessing to say for the people of Israel, and the people will be blessed.  In how many ways does God bless us as his people today?  As the songs tells us – count your many blessings!  Every blessing we receive – that’s grace!

Examples of Grace 06

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous

One might not think of Leviticus as a book about grace, but it is.

The first third of the book deals with sacrifices – sacrifices to atone for sins and have fellowship with God.  God did not need to provide a way for them to deal with their sins and have a relationship with him, but he did.  That’s grace.  In the same way he has provided Jesus to atone for our sins once for all that we might have fellowship with God.  That’s grace.

God promises to be with the people.  Not only that but they will be his people.  What great privileges!  Through Christ we are made his people, and he dwells with us.  That’s grace.

Leviticus also deals with numerous laws to protect and help the poor and needy.  God cared about the weak, and still does today.  That’s grace.

Sins forgiven.  Fellowship with God.  His people.  His presence.  His care.  Grace….

(Taken from Leviticus)

Examples of Grace 05

On By BrianIn Miscellaneous1 Comment

The second half of Exodus is filled with laws and instructions for building the tabernacle.  One might not expect to find much grace here, but there are numerous examples.

The laws themselves graciously provide protection for the people – a great blessing indeed.  Thank God we live in a country with laws that (for the most part) protect us.

God confirms his covenant with the people.  Thank God for his grace – that he would enter into a covenant with us and make us his people.

In an incredible passage, the elders of Israel saw God and ate in his presence.  The eating in his presence speaks of fellowship and peace.  What a glorious thing that we can have peace and fellowship with God, and one day we will see him!

After the golden calf, God threatens to wipe the people out.  But instead he graciously spares them and even renews the covenant with them.  How many times have we sinned, yet God graciously spares us and faithfully keeps his covenant with us.

Perhaps the greatest theme in the second half of the book is God’s presence.  That is why they are building the tabernacle – that God might dwell in their midst.  As the tabernacle is completed, the manifest presence of God descends upon the tabernacle.  God is with Israel.  God graciously chooses to dwell among them – and among us.  He is with us as we gather together as his people.  His Spirit actually dwells in each of his people.  He will never leave us nor forsake us.  He is with us always to the end of the age.  He is with us to enable us for ministry and strengthen us in trials.  God’s presence with us is an incredible example of his grace.

Grace upon grace.  Praise the Lord for his grace in our lives!

(Taken from Exodus 21-40)