Day 5: Extravagant Grace

         

    Grace and Holiness sound funny together at first. They are so different. Holiness is to be pure and spotless. Whereas as grace is showing mercy despite how impure and messy one may be. I would say that Christ followers try to balance aspects of grace and aspects of holiness throughout their daily life. Honestly, it is a tough balance. It’s like one can start to outweigh the other and before you know it, you’re making excuses for why you did something you knew you shouldn’t because you’ve been given grace, so why does it matter if you really honor God? or you are wagging your finger constantly at those around you all the while never taking a look inside your own heart.
I don’t know the balance well. I try to find it but it’s a struggle. I recently was reminded though that while we may separate the two and see them on completely different sides. We cannot have one without the other. See, the grace that God gave us in Christ, AND in giving us the resources we need to follow Christ, should motivate us to pursue holiness.

           Because when someone gives up themselves for you and offers you freedom from sin and condemnation regardless of what you have done, how can you not give up your entire life for them? I don’t know about you but when I remind myself what God did for me, I am more likely to make efforts to please him in my daily life. I am more likely to want to honor him and say no to myself. Suddenly, what was once a mundane lists or do’s and don’ts becomes so much more. When I obey God, I am fighting for the kingdom. Even if in the smallest ways like choosing to respect someone who may put you down when you would rather give it back to them. Watching how much time you indulge in certain kinds of media when you can see that an overindulgence is affecting your heart, is fighting for the kingdom.

        If you find yourself frustrated by the do’s & don’ts may your new motivation be the incredible sacrifice that was made for you and though nothing you can do can repay what was done for you, you give whatever you have to give. In fact, you want to give everything you have because you are so amazed and in awe by what was done for you.