Grace wins hands down

All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life - a life that goes on and on and on, world without end. Romans 5:20-21 MSG

This morning I had a very unfortunate incident. My mind was filled with frustration at an event earlier in the morning. The frustration took over my mind and I wasn't focusing on the task at hand. The lack of focus resulted in me inadvertently jamming three of my fingers in the car door! Ouch. Big big ouch! There was even blood! 

As I did a 'pain dance' outside the car, accompanied by screaming, our four children sitting in the car were greatly distressed by my distress. I managed to get into the car and we drove off to school. I was still venting my frustration in amongst feeling the throbbing pain of my fingers. 

As I took a breath, in the back seat I could hear one child speaking out God's word, and another child praying for me. God's grace was shown to me by my children, in a situation that I had created through my sin of lack of self-control and not maturely dealing with the frustration I had felt earlier in the morning. 

Within minutes of our children showing me God's grace, combined with listening to the Benediction by Matt Redman, God's wonderful peace that transcends all understanding was upon me. I prayed for forgiveness and accepted God's forgiveness and His grace, His grace that wins hands down.

Whilst we are here on earth we will always make mistakes, act immaturely, cause emotional upsets, and the list goes on. Here is one of the things that Paul has to say to Timothy about grace.

Though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and was shamefully and outrageously and aggressively insulting [to Him], nevertheless, I obtained mercy because I had acted out of ignorance in unbelief. And the grace (unmerited favour and blessing) of our Lord [actually] flowed out superabundantly and beyond measure for me, accompanied by faith and love that are [to be realised] in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and true and worthy of full and universal acceptance, that Christ Jesus (the Messiah) came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:13-15 AMP

The same grace, the unmerited favour and blessing of God, that Paul is telling Timothy about is available to us too,  today and everyday, through Jesus. 

Question for today, is there something that you are needing to seek God's forgiveness for and accept His grace? Ask His forgiveness now, and if you can't, ask Jesus to help you to come to the place where you can ask for forgiveness, and then accept His unmerited favour and blessing for your life. Jesus loves you, and He wants you to a life of winning with His grace.

May grace (God's favour) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 AMP