God's Glory Church

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, the first of whom is me.” — 1 Timothy 1:15

Recently, I was surprised to receive a gift from a friend. I didn’t think I deserved such a wonderful gift from her. She sent it when she found out I was stressed at work. Although she herself was under much more stress than I was, given the condition of her elderly parents, the difficult ages of her children, problems at work and a strained marital relationship. I just couldn’t believe that my friend thought more about me than about herself; her gift brought me to tears.

In reality, we are all recipients of a gift that we can never earn. Apostle Paul says: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first” (1 Tim. 1:15). Although he “was a blasphemer, and an oppressor, and an attacker… the grace of the Lord increased greatly in [him]” (vv. 13-14). The resurrected Jesus Christ gave Paul a deep understanding of the gift of grace. As a result, he learned what it means to be an undeserved recipient of this gift: he became a powerful instrument of God’s love and told many people about what God had done for him.

It is only through God’s grace that we receive love and not condemnation, mercy and not judgment. Let’s rejoice in the undeserved grace given by God and look for ways to show that grace to others.

How have you lost sight of the amazing gift of grace? How can grace motivate you again?

Dear God, help me to better understand what it means to show your gift of grace to others.

Author: Karen Pimpo