Living Missionally in Grace

We seem blessed by churches where the preachers interact with the congregation.  They will throw questions out like, "What do you think of when you hear the name Jesus" or "God" or "What is your favorite characteristic of Christ".  I'm the one, sitting observantly in the mid-section shouting out "GRACE".

I don't know what it is in particular that fascinates me about God's "Amazing Grace".  The song is great too and perhaps the message there is where it begins.  Because, for me (and for many) I was hopelessly lost.  I was on the verge of complete destruction... and He stepped in.  He gave me grace where grace was not due.  More than that, every time I slide backwards... he gives more grace!  How can that be?

Grace, as a noun, means:  mercy; clemency; pardon

When we submit our lives to Christ, that is just what God grants... mercy and pardons for all of our past wrong-doings... miraculously, he keeps pardoning us too, every time we try to do what is right and just miss the spot.


But it gets better!  Once the noun aspect of grace has taken affect, the verb portion kicks in:  to favor.  Once we have been pardoned we then become favored.  And the most amazing part of it all:  We don't deserve it!  But He does it anyway... again and again!!

We had a visiting missionary from South Africa at church yesterday.  He shared on grace and his calling to bring that message to the people of Africa and the world.  

I love listening to missionaries speak.  Their perspective is not the common perspective.  My husband has said that often of our own calling and how we, as missionaries, see the world... different from many.  I had to ponder: if this message of Grace and love is to be Known, don't we all need to live with a missional perspective?  To forgive and love and teach as Jesus did?  To give grace where grace isn't due... and then give grace some more?


We don't have to be missionaries to live by Grace.  We don't have to be missionaries to fully grasp Jesus' perspective.  We need only be wHoly devoted Christians ready and willing to live with a missional perspective.  To take the bad and see the grace.  To know in all situations we may find ourselves, His grace is enough and then reflect that perspective to those around us.

But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.  

 - 2 Corinthians 8:7 (ESV)

There is so much more I could and want to say on grace.  But perhaps it will appear in another article on another day.  For today I want to encourage you to deeply and truly consider grace and what that means.  To live missionally where you are, to know life is fleeting, moments pass, situations change but God and his grace are eternal... we must live as lights of hope to those who do not know this yet.  To accept our fallings, accept His grace, and reflect His love through it all.


May God guide and bless you in a life of grace this week.

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Scripture from Bible Gateway