Grace upon Grace
How much grace does Jesus offer you?
Verse of the Day
“Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
Today’s Devotional
Have you ever been to a buffet and eaten so much that you thought you could not fit even one more bite of food into your body? But then you saw the dessert selection….. Amazingly you find a little more room.
What if Jesus is a never-ending buffet of grace? Do you want grace in your life? Jesus came to give us grace…and then after that, more grace. Living a life of grace and truth only comes through Jesus. The law held us captive. Jesus sets us free to an abundant life of grace.
This verse says that we receive grace and truth out of Jesus’s fullness. Jesus is so full of these beautiful things that it spills out onto each of us. Jesus came to earth to seek and save the lost, and to offer us grace. Grace is “the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.” Jesus is so full of the favor of God that He pours it onto us. Even though we cannot pay the price to earn it, nor do we deserve such goodness.
This makes me ask myself, “What am I full of that spills out to those around me?” Is it good and encouraging or frustrating and negative and fearful?
And how do I make sure to receive my personal measure of grace and truth that Jesus has for me? I have to be close to the Source of those things. I have to draw near. I have to devote time and attention to be in His presence. Just like at the buffet restaurant, I have to go to the buffet line and fill my plate in order to fill my body with the food. I have to pick up the food with my fork (or hands – no judgement) and put the food in my mouth.
So…what can I do today to be closer to Jesus? I can only tell you what that looks like for me. I have to read my Bible, and ask God before I begin to show me what I need to learn from His Word. I have to pray, realizing that there is a big difference between thinking about something and praying about something. I have to be grateful, especially when I don’t want to. I have to be willing to invite God to direct my day, knowing that this will often rearrange everything I had planned. I have to realize how much my own wants and desires direct my actions, and choose to do things that are solely for the benefit of others. I have to be willing to ask for help. I have to ask for God to show me where I am wrong. I have to set aside time for praise.
My experience is that the more grace Jesus gives me, the more I realize that this life is not about me. And that is a daily battle for me to set down my desires. Thankfully, Jesus is so full of grace that there is always more that He has to offer. Grace upon grace. What a beautiful gift.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
What does the grace of Jesus look like for you?
How can you draw near to Jesus today?
And what are you “spilling” onto the people around you today?