Ephesians 2:8
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
Romans 5:15
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Walking through the yard in spring, I am delighted to see one of my favorite flowers. The purple, forest violets pop up among the scraggly green grass, greeting me and reminding me that warmer weather is just around the corner. These little blossoms sprout up without any help from me. They grow and take care of themselves. God waters them and shines the sun on them. They are a free gift that I never have to labor over.
Much like the grace that God gives freely to his children, the violets bring hope. Jesus died for me. He wrapped my sin around him and took it to the cross, and Praise the Lord he rose again. I cannot earn grace. I cannot buy grace. I can only accept grace as God’s loving gift. With Palm Sunday approaching, I am reminded of the way Jesus suffered so that I might live. I pray that as we approach Easter that our thoughts go to Jesus and the promise of heaven. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Beautiful, Penny. Love this image of how the flowers grow without our input, just like God's grace does not depend on our worthiness, but just that he loved us enuf to send his son.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the reminder.