Grace.

Webster's dictionary describes grace as an unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification; a virtue coming from God; the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful; disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency. Jim Burns, a Christian author, writes, " Grace is receiving something beneficial that we don't deserve." Ephesians 1: 6-8 says, "to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (New International Version).

In the book of Ephesians, Paul explains the wonderful kindness ("glorious grace") that God poured out on us because we belong to his son. He explains how he purchased our freedom through the blood of Christ, along with that, our sins are forgiven. Scripture also says that "in accordance with the riches of God's grace" he lavished on us all wisdom and understanding.

Wow, when I truly meditate on this scripture, it makes me be more in awe of the God that I serve. God's grace and kindness on me some days is so overwhelming. I think to myself at times, "what, why, Lord? I don't deserve this grace that you have bestowed upon me." But He just reminds me and says, it is just because I love you! We can't earn God's love, He freely gives it...we can't earn salvation, for His son already paid the price for our freedom on the cross. Some days we just need to sit back and enjoy the grace that our God has given us.

As C.S. Lewis once said while at a conference of comparative religions (while experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith)..."Oh, that's easy. It's grace." It seems that only Christianity dares to make God's love unconditional. We (Christians) need not offer a way to earn approval...God freely gives us His grace. I have only begun recently reading a book on grace and it has made me think truly on how Christians (me included) have been given the gift of grace, yet we don't always portray that gift to others.

It makes me think...what would our world look like, if only we gave the gift of grace to the world around us. Give the gift of grace today to a co-worker (maybe they've had a rough morning and that is why they were rude to you), give they guy that just cut you off in traffic a break (maybe his mind is on his family that seems to be falling apart at the seams) or maybe just maybe you need that gift of grace today and have prayed to God for it. What better way to show God off than to gift that grace...so that your eyes will be open to the grace that God has given you today!