The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Saving Grace, Serving Grace"
The Bible declares God's saving grace. "By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Scripture also proclaims God's serving grace: "Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear" (Hebrews 12:28).
God's freely given favor in the Lord Jesus Christ makes possible not only our rescue from sin, but also the life we subsequently seek to live as those redeemed. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up from us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32). In this holy light, each new day of the Christian life begins at a very similar altar as did the first:
"Heavenly Father, I am totally dependent on You in this day for the grace of living in a manner that brings honor to the Lord Jesus. Just as He died for me, He now lives in me through the Holy Spirit to motivate, guide, and empower every step of faithfulness to You and to people. I trust You and submit Myself to You in this day, acknowledging my helplessness apart from You, but also rejoicing that I am not apart from You. Christ lives in me that I might live through Him. Lead and enable me to walk in Your will, by Your grace, dear Father. In the name of the Lord Jesus I pray, Amen."
The Apostle Paul confirms, "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith" (Colossians 2:6-7). Yes, saving grace and serving grace flow from the same blessed headwaters springing forth only from the Lord Jesus, as emanating in us through the Holy Spirit. No other means of beginning relationship with God exists. Nor does any other means of experiencing and expressing the reality of our relationship with Him. As the hymn proclaims, "Grace hath led me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home." Favor, God's favor, freely given through the Person and work of Christ, supplies hope for the lost sinner to enter into life. The same wondrous gift supplies hope for the redeemed saint to walk in life, the risen life of the Lord Jesus. Yes, saving grace and serving grace ever and forever flow with the current of the saving and serving Christ.
"By grace ye are saved… And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.
(Ephesians 2:5; II Corinthians 9:8)
Weekly Memory Verse
Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father.
(Galatians 4:6)
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