Acts 15...thoughts on one word

I have had one word sort of stuck in my head for a few days, and then it happened to be mentioned in Acts 15 today too. So it seemed like a perfect opportunity to write about it, because I think it's a word we forget too often. At least I know that I do.

"We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved." Act 15:11

Dictionary.com defines grace in many ways....
elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion or action
a pleasing or attractive quality
favor or goodwill
a manifestation of favor
mercy, clemency, pardon
favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity
the condition of being in God's favor
moral strength

All of those definitions are true of God aren't they? But look how different all of those definitions are. Amazing right??  Grace is huge and it covers so many things. I decided I wanted to find some more examples in the bible today.  I needed an injection of  grace today!

Psalm 84:11
"For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right."

Isaiah 60:10b
"I will now have mercy on you through my grace."

Zechariah 12:10a
"Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem."

Acts 6:8
"Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people."

Acts 13:43
"...and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God..."

Acts 20:32
"And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself."

Romans 5:20-21
"God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all the people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 6:14b
"Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace."

Romans 12:6
"In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well."

1 Corinthians 1:3a
"May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace."

1 Corinthians 15:10
"But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me....yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace."

There are tons more of course, but that last one really struck me....He choose to pour his special favor on me. Little ol' me. Nothing special, just me. AND as if that's not enough, He is working through me by his grace.  How incredible is that?!?!!?

Lord, help me to remember your grace.  Help me to walk in your grace. Help me to feel your grace. Help me to show your grace. Help me to deserve your grace, even though that is never possible.  I am in total awe of You and your grace today. Help me to stay that way. Amen.