Today at my MOPS group we had a woman who works at the corporate MOPS offices here in our town come & speak to us. She spoke about all the Christmas traditions that they do in their family & how they strive to have everything about Christmas turn towards Christ. One of the many things that stuck out to me was when she was talking about the ABC's of Christmas that they do in their family. She mentioned that when her kids were growing up, their favorite letter was "G" because they got a gift. But, what the letter "G" actually stood for was Grace & they received a gift that they truly did NOT deserve because that's what grace is.
Now, a high love language for me is receiving gifts, so this one really hit home with me. I've always known how wonderful the Lord's grace is in my life and knew what it meant, but when this woman said, "They receive a gift that they truly don't deserve."..it hit me like a ton of bricks. Almost as if her kids had really been misbehaving that day & she pulls out the gift of all gifts to reward them.
Don't you feel it...you're in the store needing to do some shopping & your kids are out of control & frustrating you terribly. I don't know about you, but the last thing I want to do is reward them with a gift and yet that's how we act in our sin & again the Lord over & over pulls out His gift for us. We don't deserve it...we did nothing to obtain it....and yet He gives. That is His Grace...that is His Love.
It opened my eyes yet again to the Lord's grace in my life. I had been misbehaving due to the sin in my life & still do misbehave continually, and God's grace comes in & gives me the ultimate gift ever and in spite of how I've been misbehaving He still loves me and wants to give me His greatest gift...Himself and in that is forgiveness.
I love this time of year because it reminds me that the birth of Jesus is where His gift of grace all began....
7 comments:
One of my love languages is receiving gifts as well :o)
I loved this message! It is so so true, we don't deserve this wonderful gift of grace but we get it and I am thankful!
This is beautiful and gifts is my language too! Funny. Thank you for a wonderful reminder about Grace... =)
this was a sweet post. i am always getting what i do not deserve in grace.
my love language is quality time.
i'm different.
i like your new pic. you look very pretty!
That stood out to me, too. I had the same thought in my head about being at the store and buying them each a special something on their worst behavior days. I thought - wow, that would so NOT happen and yet I'm given that gift freely and without reservation each and every day. And it's no candy bar -- it's eternal life in Heaven with my Savior!!!
Amazing, isn't it???
Btw - that was SO funny when Jessica raised her hand at MOPS to announce her pregnancy. I thought, what are the odds??? :)
Amazing grace----how sweet the sound.
Thank you for sharing the "sound" of grace with us again through this post!
Words of Affirmation and quality time are top on my list of love languages - gifts is last for some reason (although I do love a nice gift from time to time :-).
You are so right the we are like kids who have behaved badly and God still gives us the gift of grace. I have been thinking about grace alot lately and what it really means. There are no words to describe it.
I needed to hear this today because I have a little one who has been taking meds for 8 days and he is not quite himself (to put it lightly). I have been pretty hard on him today because he has been somewhat defiant - I suppose considering the grace I have been given , maybe I should extend a little grace to my little guy as well. Thanks Earen - you are a sweetheart!
Wow, I love that. Don't you just love it when you experience something like that and it helps you understand a little better something that is so uncomprehensible?
Thanks, Earen.
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