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“WEDNESDAY DEVOTIONAL IN THE WORD”
MARCH 4, 2026
“UNDERSTANDING GRACE”
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift from God, not by works, so no one can boast”
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
What exactly is grace? We may be surprised to know that Jesus never used the word. He just taught it, and of equal importance, He lived it. The Bible never gives us a definition, though grace appears throughout its pages, not only the word but numerous demonstrations of it. Understanding grace requires us to look at the Hebrew term. It means, “to bend or to stoop.” As time passed it came to be believed as the idea of “condescending favor.” We have come to know it as God’s unearned, undeserved favor towards us. It is love given freely, and not because we earned or deserved it, but because God chooses to give it.
The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:8-9 that salvation is a gift. A gift cannot be purchased. It cannot be repaid. It can only be received. You see grace says:
- You are loved before you perform.
- You are forgiven before you fix yourself.
- You are accepted before you achieve.
Grace meets us in our weakness. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, Paul shares that God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Notice, God did not immediately remove Paul’s struggle. Instead, he supplied sustaining grace. Grace does not always remove the storm; sometimes it strengthens us to stand in it. So, it doesn’t matter where we feel weak today spiritually, physically, or emotionally, grace is already present. How do we live in grace daily? Understanding grace changes how we live.
- Grace makes us Humble –We cannot boast. Everything is a gift.
- Grace makes us Grateful–We worship because we’ve been rescued.
- Grace makes us Gracious–We extend forgiveness because we have received it.
Grace is demonstrated at the cross. Romans 5:8 tells us that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Therefore, grace is not a reward for improvement. Grace is not the starting point of transformation. The Cross declares; your past doesn’t disqualify you. All we need to do is claim his grace by accepting the free gift of eternal life. Period! God smiles on us because of his son’s death and resurrection. And that’s why we can rest in the finished work of Christ. And we are truly grateful to let Christ’s grace shape our hearts, our words and our actons. We say thank you God for Jesus’ life, death and resurrection that gave us the gift of salvation and eternal life. It’s not just grace, it’s “Amazing Grace!”
Pastor Andrea (Rev. Andie)
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