Awesome Grace

AWESOME GRACE

By Barbara Chadwick

Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado is a great devotional book.

Yesterday I read:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

God justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26

            “God keeps His promises. You are guaranteed that your sins will be filtered through, hidden in, and screened out by the sacrifice of Jesus. When God looks at you, He doesn’t see you; He sees the One who surrounds you. That means that failure is not a concern for you.”  Max Lucado

I am humbled – blown away – and so comforted, by that thought.

Failures of last year. All the times I didn’t measure up. All the times I didn’t do what I should have done. These things weigh me down. I get depressed about myself.

I often sing:
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole.
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe.
Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. by James Nicholson.

So when it snowed yesterday ... don’t you love it – the beauty of God’s creation draped in that blanket.

The stillness, the expectancy, the beauty. The scarred earth is covered. Now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

My mother-in-law, Clara Chadwick, said that after she gave her heart to the Lord and asked Him to be her Savior, she looked at her hands and they looked so white and clean – new. She felt amazed!

Oh, the wonder of God’s grace!

So, …forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead… let us … Press on toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13

Let us not get bogged down, depressed and hindered by our past failures. Let us dwell on  "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, ..." Philippians 4:8,9

So we can know that when God looks at us He doesn't see our failures and imperfections, He sees

 the One who surrounds you! Awesome Grace!!