Grace

I’m reading Philip Yancey’s book, “What’s So Amazing About Grace? His accounts of grace, especially the lack of it in the church rings a shrill bell. Grace should be the hallmark of the church in a world that desperately needs it, in a world that says : “You scratch your back, I scratch your back.” In other words, I expect a favor in return for my favor. Nothing is free. Instead everything comes with a price.

Grace, on the other hand bestows love, forgiveness, kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and expects nothing in return. Grace is the extra mark that the teacher gives that moves you from Fail to a Pass grade. You didn’t work for it, you didn’t deserve it, but the teacher gave it to you, anyway.

Stories about grace warm the heart. The hand of forgiveness extended to Germany and Japan for war atrocities illustrates the concept of grace. Corrie ten Boom who was sent to concentration camp during the Second World War spoke of how she was preaching about forgiving your enemies when a man in the audience came up and asked in an unbelieving voice whether it was truly possible to be forgiven. He turned out to be the prison officer who had made life hell for the inmates of her concentration camp – the man who had killed her sister.

It’s easy to talk about grace until it hits home! There was a moment of emotional conflict for Corrie ten Boom. But grace, through the enabling of the Holy Spirit triumphed and she was able to forgive him and to pray for God’s forgiveness for him.

Grace is best seen in my favorite hymn:
Amazing grace. How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see.

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fear relieved……
The hymn was written by a former slave trader. Remember, slave traders are inhuman. See how the power of God’s grace changed this man.

Lord, may we see more of such grace in your church!!!