Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.”
I remember standing on the banks of the Ohio River one day marveling at the power of the river some 50 feet below me. The water levels were low but you could see and feel the strength of the river as it moved on to its destination.
As I looked at the very steep banks of this river and how low the water was in comparison, I asked someone who lived in the area if the water ever rose toward the top of these banks. The man told me that 2 times in his lifetime, the flood came and the river exceeded its banks by some 10 feet.
It was difficult to form a picture of such a thing happening. Nor could I fathom the destruction it would cause to have that much water, moving with such urgency, outside of this river’s banks. Anyone would know that such a thing would crush everything in its path.
Many believers have similar difficulty describing the power of God’s grace in their lives. When you consider the immensity of God’s love for us and his desire for us to love him in return – the thought is often too big to imagine.
We live in a time of temporary love. Like a henna tattoo, most love, sometime after it’s seen is simply washed off leaving no indication that it ever existed.
By contrast, Christ offered us unconditional love. Love that is everlasting. He offered it freely to people who were sinners. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus told us: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
I tell you this because I’ve witnessed his grace flowing over my life like the mighty river I described earlier. It’s washed away every foul thing in its path. What fascinates me is that regardless of the changes I’ve seen in my own life, I’m told that I’ve seen nothing yet. More change is going to occur.
When I ponder all that I’m empowered to do by remaining close to God and acting as his hands and feet I’m reminded that soon, all of the things Jesus was doing, I would have the power to also do.
An earthly flood is scary and destructive. You’ve seen enough pictures to know it’s true. However, the flood of God’s grace in our lives is redemptive and awesomely powerful. Give thanks for him. Praise be to God!
Leave a Reply