"For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (1 Cor. 15:9-10 NASB)This is Paul speaking, and he essentially sums up something incredibly powerful. Paul was a murderer of Christians. A murderer! However, while on the way to Damascus, Paul (known as Saul at the time) encountered the all-consuming glory of Christ and was forever changed (Acts 9). In a moment, Saul the murderer became Paul the Apostle and started proclaiming the truth of Christ like nobody's business.
Because of his blood-stained past, Paul realized that he did not deserve the new life that he was given in Christ. He knew that he was inadequate. But what Paul chose to hold onto was the grace of God. By God's grace, Paul became an amazing force for advancing the kingdom, needless to say he also became one of the most talked about figures in the Bible overall. Paul recognized that despite his dark past, the grace of God made him into a new person: a person who could shed the past and make a positive, spirit-led difference in the present and future.
The grace of God is truly an amazing and beautiful thing. Without it, we would be eternally doomed. With it, we can accept what Christ has done for us, allow Him to transform our lives, and serve others as He served others. If the grace of God could transform the murderous Saul into the Apostle Paul, who is responsible for over half of the New Testament, we have no excuses when it comes to whether or not that same grace can transform us in the present day.
Do not underestimate the grace of God. As humans, I understand that it can be rather difficult at times to think about how God could extend such grace to wretches such as us. But let's face it: if God could turn a Christian-killer into one of the most successful disciple-makers of all time, what can't God do with you? We need to embrace the grace of God and allow it to truly transform us. If we genuinely allowed God to pour out His grace and mercy on us, just think of what He could accomplish through us. The thought is simply exhilarating! Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39) and He is just waiting to extend His grace to us. Accept that grace today, live in the glory of His presence, and watch as He takes you down a road of authentic satisfaction that is devoid of regret. His grace is enough, and we owe it to ourselves to take God up on such an invaluable gift.
No comments:
Post a Comment