Laced With Grace – Christian Devotions

Extra Grace Required

By Dana January 28, 2008 Character, Devotion, Life

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

A few years ago, my husband and I had neighbors that we were very close to.  However, it was during that time that we were allowing everything else in our life to take precedence over a relationship with God.  While we never strayed from our love for the Lord, we were walking in disobedience by not putting God first in our lives. 

Now, our neighbors knew we were Christians, even if we didn’t always set the best example.  Over time, we even developed a tradition of attending church together every Easter.  My first born came along in January of 2001.  God began to convict my husband and I that we were to get back into church and start living our lives under His authority – not our own.  We began attending a church and within a year our faithful neighbors joined us for an Easter service.  Within a few weeks, they both turned their lives over to Christ and submitted their family to God’s authority as well.  I’m so glad they showed us extra grace and didn’t let the luke-warm lifestyle we led deter them from their own relationship with the Lord.Showing grace to one another can sometimes be difficult at best. 

I am the worst at showing grace when someone hurts me or disagrees with me.  I fall short daily of showing grace and it is an area that I have to work on.  It helps me to be reminded of times that others showed grace with me.  My neighbors are a good example.  They really could say that I wasn’t an example that they would want to follow.  I think being a luke-warm Christian is so much worse than just being outright bad. 

Jesus offered us the greatest gift of grace when he died on that cross.  He didn’t deserve to take on my sins or anyone else’s sins.  He was a perfect man who became the perfect sacrifice.  How dare I resist offering grace to someone else?  Now the question is what will I do with it?  I need to choose grace, forgiveness and move on.  No, it isn’t easy – my flesh doesn’t want to do it.  But isn’t that what it means to daily pick up our cross and follow Him? 

Dear Lord, Thank you for your conviction of the luke warm lifestyle I was disobediently living and the call to live my life under your authority. Thank you for the free gift of grace you extended to me over and over.  Thank you for the salvation of our friends and that even in my imperfection and in Your complete sovereignty you  used me and my husband to be a witness.  Help me to be more like you daily, offering grace to those around me and not holding grudges.  In Jesus Christ name, Amen.

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8 thoughts on “Extra Grace Required”

  1. LynnLynn

    Hi Dana,

    What a neat post. I am constantly amazed how our Lord reveals himself in spirt of how we are poor witnesses or even how we get int he way of His word. Amazing. 🙂

  5. Angie

    Dana…you have touched something in my heart….my inability to “forget” a wrong done to me is causing feelings that I should not have. Thank you for these timely words into my life today.
    God bless you!

  6. Lori Madison

    Hi,

    A wonderful post and an important message, thank you for taking the time to write this and thank you for sharing it with us.

  7. tnchick

    Praise Him that you were able to bring others closer to Him. What a blessing. I pray with you, too. Dear Lord, “Help me to be more like You daily, offering grace to those around me and not holding grudges.” In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.