If you’ve ever felt like your mistakes disqualify you from receiving God’s grace, think again. No longer do your shortcomings have to keep you in a choke hold. No matter what mistakes you’ve made in life—no matter the sin, the failure, the slip-up—God’s grace is available to you. Do you believe it? Join me in this seven-day journey to discover the magnificent grace of God.
Chrystal Evans Hurst
Day 1
Scriptures: Ephesians 2:1-9, Romans 5:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, John 3:16-17
The Magnificent Grace of God is Available to Everyone
Confession: I’m a bit of a bookaholic.
As much as I love to collect books and admire them as they sit neatly on the library shelves, my granddaughter used to love to pull them off the shelves. Eventually I taught her which shelves she had permission to pull from and which shelves were off limits. The books available to her “handling” were the preschool books and classic stories that I wanted her to enjoy – one of which is the familiar story of Cinderella.
You remember Cinderella, right?
After the death of her father, Cinderella’s evil stepmother banished her to a life of solitude in the cellar and bullied her to a life of subjection in the home. It was a life that Cinderella would have never chosen for herself. A life of feeling unwelcomed. Less than.
Stuck.
Through a series of events, however, Cinderella finds herself at the ball. Adorned in a gown fit for a princess, she majestically comes face to face with the prince. It was an indelible moment, but the encounter ends with Cinderella running off at the stroke of midnight, leaving one of her glass slippers behind.
The prince finds the slipper and, after trying it on the foot of many a maiden, he finally stumbles upon Cinderella. Adorned in rags and covered in soot, she humbly comes face to face with the prince – this time, just as she is. No more pretense. No more running. No more repressing.
He glides the glass slipper onto her foot, and, in that moment, y’all, Cinderella is offered grace. Grace that would redeem her from the heartache of her past. Grace that would resolve that she is loved in the present. Grace that would refute what others said about her future.
Now, I know. Cinderella’s story isn’t real. But I wonder if maybe – just maybe – you are in a place where you have been made to feel unwelcomed. Less than.
Stuck.
Maybe you find yourself being pretentious for fear of others finding out the real you. Maybe, you have been running from the very One who wants to redeem you as His own.
Well, I have some good news for you.
Unlike the slipper that only fit the foot of Cinderella, the gift of God’s grace is available to everyone. Everyone. Even when we were dead in our wrongdoings. Even while we were yet sinners. Even when we are weak or insulted or are persecuted and experience hardships. The gift of His grace is available to you, to me, and to this whole wide world that He so loved.
The question is, are you willing to accept the gift of His grace just as you are? I hope so. Because understanding the gift of His grace, my friends, has the propensity to change everything. Join me over the next few days as we grow together in the knowledge of God’s magnificent grace.
Day 2
Scriptures: Ephesians 2:4-8, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 1:7-8, Ephesians 3:7-11, Ephesians 3:20
The Magnificent Grace of God Saves Us
Grace. It’s a word often tossed around in Christian circles. We know it’s important and we know we need it, but do we really understand just how significant the gift of God’s grace is to our lives?
Before we unpack that question, though, let’s begin by defining what grace is. Grace is often described as the unmerited favor of God toward man. In other words, God’s grace gives us what we don’t deserve.
Additionally, God’s grace is not based on merit. There is nothing you or I could do to earn it, so we can’t boast in any way because we have it. Instead, Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:4 that God’s grace is based on His rich mercies and great love towards us – a love that sent His only Son to the cross as a Ransom for our past sins, a Refuge for our present troubles, and the Redeemer of our future hope.
Paul expounds on this further in Ephesians 2:5-7, giving us a picture of just how magnificently God’s grace is woven in the undercurrents of our past, our present, and our future. So, let’s examine this.
Verse 5: “Even when” represents the past and thank the good Lord that His grace did not wait until we got ourselves “right” with Him. No, even when we were unlovable, His grace met us there. Even when our pasts reeked of shame, His grace met us there. Even when our sins deserved death, God’s grace met us there. And here’s the beautiful thing – the same grace that saved us from our sins and made us alive together with Christ is the same grace that is still available today, even when.
Verse 6: “…in Christ Jesus” represents the present for the believer. When the grace of God saves us from our sin, we no longer go the way of the world and identify as being children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Rather, being born of God, our identity is now in Christ Jesus. Thus, we are positioned to live a life of holiness as children of God and heirs of His glory.
Verse 7: “…in the ages to come” represents the future. You cannot escape, outrun, or outlive the grace of God. The riches of His grace in Christ Jesus is described here as boundless. Not only was it there before the foundation of the world, but it reconciles our past, permeates our present, inhabits our future, and abounds in eternity. Paul continues in Ephesians 3, explaining that God’s grace is not just for us. It is also to manifest His glory so that others may experience this same grace.
In a world where even our tired is tired, isn’t it good news that His grace is inexhaustible? Indeed, God’s magnificent grace not only saves us. It offers us eternal life later and an abundant life now.
Day 3
Scriptures: Matthew 26:69-75, Matthew 14:22-33, 2 Peter 3:18, 2 Peter 1:1-10
The Magnificent Grace of God Grows Us
Have you ever noticed that every person God used in the Bible experienced the gift of His grace in a way that produced growth and change in them? Yesterday, we spent a great deal of time in the book of Ephesians gleaning from the wisdom of Paul. However, he was not the only one to experience growth because of grace given to him.
Remember Peter?
He was the disciple that vowed he’d never deny Jesus, yet when tested, he disowned Him three times. He was the disciple that was daring enough to step out of the boat at Jesus’ command, only to be drowned by doubt just a few steps later. He was the disciple that acted out of his flesh in the Garden of Gethsemane, cutting off the soldier’s ear when Jesus was arrested.
What am I saying here? Well, like you and me, Peter was fallible.
Imperfect.
Human.
But over time, this fisherman turned follower of Christ grew in grace and boldly preached to the crowds in the book of Acts, converting thousands of Jews and Gentiles alike. He performed miracles in Jesus’ name, even bringing the dead back to life (Acts 9:36-43). He was persecuted, imprisoned, and would eventually be crucified for his faith, a far cry from his days of denying Jesus.
Grace wasn’t just multiplied to Peter. Over time, he learned to partner with grace and his journey teaches me these three things:
First, Peter had to let go to grow. He desired a relationship with Jesus, leaving everything to follow Him. Think about that for a minute and then ask yourself: What are the things that I need to let go of so that God’s grace is multiplied to me?
Secondly, Peter had to know to grow. He spent years intimately walking and talking with Jesus. So, his words to believers in 2 Peter 1:1-10 are not just pretty talk. Gleaning from his own experience, Peter reminds believers that grace is multiplied to them in the knowledge of God. In other words, the more we know of God, the more we grow in His grace. Dr. Tony Evans says that grace becomes “an environment we live in, not a location we visit.”
Lastly, Peter had to go to grow. Because Peter wanted others to multiply in God’s grace, he immersed himself completely in the call of God for his life. Even in the face of opposition, he went into all the world, fulfilling the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:19-20). This is our call as believers too – a call that will cause us to go, but where grace will cause us to grow.
Friends, grace is not only a starting point in your journey – it’s a growing point. So, I say, let it grow.
Day 4
Scriptures: Titus 2:11-15, Romans 5:20-21, Romans 6:1-7, 2 Peter 1:5-8
The Magnificent Grace of God Changes Us
On the other side of the pains of growth is the promise of change. We see it in our teenage children. We feel it in our bodies as we get older. We know it as part of the ebb and flow of life itself. And, surely, we will experience change growing in light of God’s grace.
“Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then enables us to yield to its transforming power.” (Max Lucado)
It is that transforming power that brings the believer to a greater level of maturity, a deeper level of wisdom, and a proven level of testimony. See, God’s grace is not just for your entry into heaven. It’s also the power you need to change here on earth.
But how, exactly, should grace transform us?
Well, let us answer this question from Titus 2.
Here, Titus is urged to remind believers that even though they live in a sinful culture, they should not live in a sinful manner – and neither should we. According to Titus 2:12-13, the transforming power of grace will teach us to:
1. Deny ungodliness and worldly desires. As believers, we cannot continue to feed our flesh and then wonder why our spirit-man is not winning. Saying “no” to a life of sin is not only evidence of growing in grace, but it is essential to experience the free gift of salvation.
2. Live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age. Titus instructs how we should live in relation to our personal lives (self-controlled), to others (upright), and to God (godly). This should compel us to live righteously, calling sin a sin, choosing right from wrong, and taking God seriously. Remember, you are in this world, but you’re not supposed to be of it. (John 17:14-16)
3. Look for the blessed hope and appearing of Jesus. As believers, our response to the trials of this life should always be with eternity in mind. So, when the assignment gets too hard or the suffering seems too long or the loneliness is too deafening, grace implores us to look up and to live with the active expectation of Jesus’ return. Not only will it create a reminder of why you are doing what you are doing, but it will also help you to do it with joy.
Friends, the more we heed these instructions, the more grace will change us, manifesting contentment in every circumstance (1 Thessalonians 5:18); rejoicing even in suffering (Romans 5:3-4); love towards our enemy (Matthew 5:44-45); and forgiveness of one another (Colossians 3:12).
Anne Lamott says, “I do not understand the mystery of grace – only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.”
And I, for one, am thankful that His grace is changing me.
Day 5
Scriptures: Galatians 5:1, Romans 6:1-2, Romans 6:11, 2 Chronicles 20:20-23, Psalms 92:1-2
The Magnificent Grace of God Engages Us (Part 1)
God offers grace so that we may experience the true freedom of being dead to sin and alive in Christ (Romans 6:11). But walking according to the grace God has given means we must participate with the gift He offers. If we begin to rest on our laurels and think that the desires of the flesh won’t try and entangle us in sin, we are sorely mistaken.
That is why in Galatians 5:1, God not only reminds us of the freedom He has given, but also tells us what we must do to gain access to that freedom – that is, we must “stand firm.” In its original Greek, to “stand firm” means to persevere in godliness, in one’s fellowship with the Lord. It means to maintain your allegiance to freedom and not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. It means, my friends, if we are to walk by the Spirit so as to not gratify the desires of the flesh, then you and I have a role to play.
For inasmuch as grace doesn’t give us a pass for our sin to abound (Romans 6:1-2), freedom doesn’t give us a pass to do whatever we want either. It’s quite the opposite actually since a greater level of freedom requires a greater level of responsibility. Thus, there are rules of engagement that God has laid out for us in His Word that will not only protect us and allow us to stand firm but will also snuff out the enemy’s attempts to silence the grace found at the cross.
Today, we are going to discuss the first rule of engagement and will look at three more in tomorrow’s devotional.
Rule #1: Renew your mind towards gratitude.
Did you know that gratitude towards God is a weapon of spiritual warfare? When Jehoshaphat sent the worship choir into battle in 2 Chronicles 20, we’re told that their song was this:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.”
Scripture goes on to say that as they sang songs of praise to God, God set up ambushes and defeated their enemies. Their gratitude towards Him went before them as a banner of faith, allowing them to stand firm in the battle.
Friends, it’s so important that we get this. Because our gratitude towards God can allow us to stand firm in our battles too.
“It is good to give thanks to the Lord…to declare Your goodness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.” (Psalm 92:1-2)
So, as we close out our time today, let us be intentional to engage in gratitude. Let us, “give thanks every morning for the mercies of the night, and every night for the mercies of the day; going out, and coming in, let us bless God.” (Matthew Henry)
Day 6
Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, 1 John 4:7-19, Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:32
The Magnificent Grace of God Engages Us (Part 2)
Yesterday, we looked at the first rule of engagement that helps us to stand firm in the freedom given to us by Christ – that is, renewing our mind towards gratitude to God. Today, I want us to dive right into three more:
Rule #2: Be ready to work.
Fact: Part of the work involved in us growing up in Christ, we will not like. It will stretch us, challenge us, and make us do things we’ve never done before. It will even ask us to participate in the sufferings of Christ (Philippians 3:10). But as we choose to fully engage with the work of our salvation, it will change the way we interact with the gift of God’s grace. We become mature, ready to work. We even learn to run with the thorns in our flesh because we have experienced the all-sufficiency of His grace. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Rule #3: Respond in love.
The third rule of engagement that we must use to stand firm in freedom is to choose to respond in love, not in fear. 1 John 4:18 tells us that “fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” In other words, we cannot stand firm in His love and experience His freedom if we are still yoked to the spirit of fear. It just will not work. Rather, we must operate from a place of confidence knowing that the God who gave us His best in Jesus is the same God who is always going to have our best in mind. And because He always has our best in mind, we can choose to respond as He did – in love (1 John 4:7-8).
Rule #4: Release others.
The final rule of engagement we must employ to stand firm in freedom is that of releasing others. Paul charges us in Colossians 3:13 to “bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” It’s worth repeating, “as the Lord forgave you”. That is, with the same undeserving grace that He forgives you and me with. See, by releasing others of their offenses towards you, you not only free yourself from bitterness and resentment, but your offering of grace also has the propensity to demolish the strongholds of generational sin.
May we, then, choose to engage in God’s grace and renew our minds towards gratitude, ready ourselves to work, respond to others in love, and release others by forgiving them, just as the Lord has forgiven us.
Day 7
Scriptures: Psalms 19:10, Proverbs 16:24, Hebrews 4:16
The Magnificent Grace of God is For Us – All of Us
As we wrap up our series today, there’s one more thing I want you to know about the magnificent grace of God. I want you to know that His grace is for you. Not just in the sense that it is available to you, but also in the sense that His grace is on the side of His people. Yes, you read that right. God is on your side. How do I know this?
Well, beyond the fact that I experience His grace daily, the Bible tells me so.
Yes, God’s Word makes it clear that He feels some sort of way about us. Just have a look:
Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you, I will give other people in your place and other nations in exchange for your life.
Isaiah 43:4
The Lord appeared to him long ago, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you out with kindness.”
Jeremiah 31:3
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
Joel 2:13
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17
Since you are precious in my sight.
I have drawn you out with kindness.
He relents from sending calamity.
For God so loved the world that He gave.
Friends, those words. Those affirmations from God of us. Are they not like honey (Psalm 19:10), sweet to the soul and healing to the bones (Proverbs 16:24)? The more I read them, the more that I know that I know that I KNOW, the grace of God is on. our. side.
For it was grace that echoed in the final words of Jesus as He died on the cross to save us. It is grace that accompanies us in our trials to grow us. It is grace that teaches us in the waiting to change us. It is grace that goes before us as a banner to engage us. It is grace that is weaved into our day-to-day to equip us with everything we need to stand firm. And it is grace that allows us to come boldly before His throne to receive His mercy in our times of need (Hebrews 4:16).
The question is – are you willing to participate? Are you willing to move forward in the magnificent grace of God? I hope you are.
Because today’s a good day to begin growing in His magnificent grace.