Grace and Peace

Tonight we had our monthly refuge service. I love those times of communion and worship. Tonight our pastor talked about the way that Paul begins most of his letters. Written to many cultures, many people, and yet they begin the same way...

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ...

Rushing over those words, he reminded us, causes us to pass by the basis for what our faith is based on.

Grace: God's riches at Christ's expense...
Easy to look at that and say, yep that is what it means. But do we really understand daily what that expense was? Christ, God's only son, submitted to death on the cross dying for each of us and our sins. His resurrection was nothing short of a miracle. With that resurrection, we received forgiveness. We received grace and forgiveness through nothing that we have done. His grace is why we are able to receive our forgiveness. It is only that forgiveness that we can even experience His peace.

As I am writing my current paper, I stand in awe of the great love that our God has for us to have set that plan in place for us. When we have placed our trust in Jesus and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we have the assurance of salvation and the promise of heaven and eternity with Him. Grace...His Grace is all sufficient and all encompassing. Once we experience that grace...we will experience His peace.

What a perfect reminder for us as we approach Easter. When we realize the depth of His grace we are drenched in His peace. There is nothing that can overwhelm us when we washed with His grace.