God's Grace
“My soul, bless the Lord, and do not forget all his benefits. He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; he crowns you with faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle” --Psalm 103:2-5
If we were to count on our hands the number of times someone has let us down or the number of times we’ve disappointed someone else, we’d definitely run out of fingers! Because we are human, we fail all the time, whether in relationships, careers, or daily disciplines. In fact, our life on earth seems full of opportunities to learn from our mistakes. So it’s a good thing we have promises like Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
But an incredible thing happens when we begin to see ourselves through the eyes of our heavenly Father. No matter what mistakes we make, no matter the pain or regret we might feel, in God’s eyes we shine brightly. How is this possible, that He would see us as righteous and dearly loved? He loves us because we have been reconciled to Him through the blood of His Son Jesus Christ.
For God the Just is satisfied,
To look on Him and pardon me.
The perfect life of Jesus Christ enables us to move beyond our inadequacy and shame as we partake of His transforming
grace. His presence in our daily lives redeems us, rescues us from the Pit, and showers us with love and compassion. Yes, He satisfies our desires with wonderful things. No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done, God continually invites us to Himself so He can restore us and use us for His purposes by means of his great grace.
1. What causes you to be ashamed of your actions?
2. If you’ve received Jesus as Savior, do you realize that you are loved and completely forgiven?
3. What can you do to become more like Jesus?
Extra Reading: Micah 7:18–19; Luke 15:1–7; Romans 5:1–11; 1 John 3:1–3
Lord God, change my heart today so that I may be confident of Your love, and fill my mind and heart with the truth of Your grace so others might know You through me. In Christ’s name. Amen.