Different Kind Of Grace

The older me moves – even drives – at a slower pace.  Simply driving the posted speed limits gets me lots of unwelcome attention: bumper-riding, yellow-line-passing vehicles, blaring horns and not-so-nice “hand signals.” Apostle Paul begins many of his New Testament letters with the salutation, “grace be unto you.” Our English word means “courteous goodwill” – I am certain I see little of THAT on the road!  The Greek meaning of “grace” is much more profound: joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness. What a significant difference in the English and Greek definitions! Let me continue Paul’s greeting: “grace be unto you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:1). Grace offered in God and Christ Jesus makes all the difference – it’s a different kind of grace; it’s not a man-manufactured grace – one that changes with how we feel or how busy our day is, money or lack of it, health, relationships, etc. Such grace as Paul writes of is rooted in Christ Jesus “by Whom we have access to faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2). This amazing, eternal, saving grace makes Believers the “aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15) both to God and to the world around us. In my slower-paced life, I’m learning to be gracious [in thought and deed] just as God has been and is gracious to me in Salvation and growing in righteousness. If you see me on the road and I’m leading an impromptu  “parade,” remember the joy-delight-sweetness-loveliness of God’s Grace. May such Grace guide our days!