The Definition of Grace

(1.) Of form or person
       (Proverbs 1:9; 3:22; Psalms. 45:2) 
(2.) Favor, kindness, friendship
       (Genesis 6:8; 18:3; 19:19; 2 Timothy. 1:9) 
(3.) God's forgiving mercy
       (Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:5) 
(4.) The gospel as distinguished from the law
       (John 1:17; Romans 6:14; 1 Peter 5:12) 
(5.) Gifts freely bestowed by God; as miracles,
       prophecy, tongues
      (Romans 15:15; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Ephesians 3:8) 
(6.) Christian virtues (2 Corinthians 8:7; 2 Peter 3:18) 
(7.) The glory hereafter to be revealed (1 Peter 1:13.

Before God created man, He had a plan in place.  He knows us.  He loves us.  He knows us when we are arrogant or falsely humble.  He knows us when we truly repent of sin and when we knowingly sin and expect forgiveness without
consequences.
 
We are the only creation that was not spoken into being.  We were created uniquely, to be His friends and heirs to eternity.  He formed us to His specifications.  He breathed life into us so
that we could share our lives with Him.   He wants us to know Him, not so that we can better serve Him but so that we desire to serve Him.  He gave us His laws, not to restrict us
but so that we can better understand His plan and to protect us.  He desires us to know Him because we are in love with Him and want to know what pleases Him. He had grace in His plan for us when He created us. 
 
Grace is not something that is a privilege or right or can be earned.  Grace is amazingly simple and yet so complex that it is impossible to understand the depths and heights and value of it.  Grace has layer upon layer of complexity to it that we can only begin to comprehend. 
 
Grace is the foundation of the Christian belief system.  Without grace, we can not approach the throne of grace.  We have no way of cancelling the debt of sin that we were born with.  Grace is the message Christ brought to us then died to bestow on us.  From the beginning of Genesis to the final pages of The Revelation, God showed us the perfect picture
of Grace.
 
Today, now is the time to praise and worship the One Who gave us grace.  Now is the time to pray and ask for deeper understanding of His grace.  The more we understand, the more we appreciate and desire grace.  Study those in His word that exemplified and received grace.  They are simply a picture of us in a different time and place.  His word never changes.  He still offers grace to those who seek and ask for it.

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