“After centuries of handling and mishandling, most religious words have become so shopworn nobody's much interested anymore. Not so with grace, for some reason. Mysteriously, even derivatives like gracious and graceful still have some of the bloom left.” - Author Fredrick Buechner
Did you ever have a “grace period” for an assignment? Did you ever get to go somewhere really important even though you were grounded? Have you ever received a gift, an award, or a bonus that you know you didn’t deserve but for some reason got anyway?
That is how God’s grace works.
Grace is undeserved. Grace is unexpected. Grace is astonishing.
Martin Luther (14th century) believed that God was an angry punishing God. He continuously tried to please God and earn God’s forgiveness but could never quite feel forgiven and accepted. Then everything changed when he (through grace) realized that he did not need to earn God’s forgiveness and acceptance. It is a gift freely given.
“Grace is something you can never get but can only be given. There's no way to earn it or deserve it or bring it about any more than you can deserve the taste of raspberries and cream or earn good looks or bring about your own birth.” – Fredrick Buechner
And best of all, after finally letting go of the focus on ourselves and our failings, through grace we are free to turn toward others and serve them.
“This grace of God is a very great, strong, mighty and active thing. It does not lie asleep in the soul. Grace hears, leads, drives, draws, changes…and lets itself be distinctly felt and experienced. It is hidden, but its works are evident.” - Martin Luther