Life is a pursuit.
A common characteristic of just about any good story ever written is want. The main character always wants something, craves something, needs something. And whether that something is a material possession, some sort of success or victory, or even a someone, the character will pursue it until the end.Our real life stories are no different. We’re all in pursuit of something, sometimes not even knowing what.
One thing that’s different about God’s Story of Grace, is that this thing we’re all pursuing can’t be obtained by any kind of pursuit.
Although the characters want it, need it, and crave it, we don’t deserve it, and it is always just out of reach.
Or so it seems.
In reality, God’s grace is never out of reach. It’s just that oftentimes we are reaching too far.
How much ‘good’ is ‘good enough’?
Most religions—and even some skewed versions of Christianity—will preach that you need to do “good works” in order to please God, get into Heaven, or “be saved.” The weird thing about that is, they never tell you how many good works you have to do. It turns life into a pretty cruel gamble of hoping that in the end, the good will outweigh the bad, and that will be enough.
But that’s not how God works.
See, God knows we can’t make it on our own, because no matter how many good things we do, no matter how much of a good person one may be, just one sin, one bad thought or action in our lives, makes us unworthy of his love.
That’s where grace comes in.
Paul, one of the original followers of Jesus, wrote in a letter to the one of the first churches, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9)
He also wrote to another early church, “If by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.”(Romans 11:6)
It seems too easy.
If you’re thinking all of this seems too easy, and that nothing is ever free, you’re right.It is too easy.
Nothing is ever free.
God had to pay a price, and it was not easy for him.
Probably the most quoted verse of the Bible is John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
It may be the most quoted verse, but it is not the most understood.
Jesus was tortured.
By the Romans: masters of torture.
And he did it for us.
So, what now?
Have you found your story of grace yet? It isn’t something you can earn or pursue, but it is something you need to accept. When asked the question, “What do I need to do to be saved,” Paul answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:30-31)
Do you believe? Do you accept God’s story of grace as your story of grace?
Tell him that.
Do you still have questions? Jesus said in Luke 11:9, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be open to you.”
Ask God to show you his truth. Talk to someone who knows God. Talk to the person who referred you to this site, and search for the answer in their story.
Pursue what it is you are looking for, but remember, don’t reach too far.
Grace is already within reach.
