GOD’S GRACE AND COMPASSION
The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. Psalm 145:8.
God’s grace is God’s kindness, favor, compassion, blessings, forgiveness and victorious living shown to the undeserved. It is unmerited favor, accessible to the sinner for salvation and the saved for victorious living.
What we deserve from God is judgement, condemnation and eternal death; “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23). But rather than give us what we truly deserve, God gave us all through Jesus Christ, even what we did not deserve or merit through our self-righteousness or good works, for “in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence- Ephesians 1:7-8.
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8). Noah didn’t work for God’s grace; it was freely given to him by God. God continues today to give us His grace freely. It took faith for Noah to prepare an ark on dry land when it had not even drizzled (Heb. 11:7). True faith involves the whole of the inner person: the mind understands God’s warning, the heart fears for what is coming, and the will, acts in obedience to God’s Word.
It is only through faith in the Person and the finished redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ that you can gain access into and appropriate the unlimited riches and provisions of God’s grace. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1-2).
God’s grace is freely given as can be seen in Psalm 84:11 “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Our God is kind, merciful, patient, loving, and compassionate, therefore, God has given us a glimpse of His glory, answered prayers, saved souls, given us strength in trials, and the provision of our needs. Yes, beloved, God is good.
My prayer is “May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and forever and ever.
Welcome to the month of May 2018, the month of God’s Grace and Compassion.
Yours in Him,
Pastor (Dr.) Lillian Haastrup
