Verse of the week -- John 1

I've spent my share of idle afternoons on the sand. Spread out on a beach towel soaking in sunshine warmth, usually just under the shade of the trees along the perimeter. Savoring the occasional breeze. An empty agenda.

The best part? The sound of waves. Not just fabricated in a nature-scape alarm clock, but the real deal. The irregular rhythmic pounding and fading of water crashing into land. It washes everything away, physically and emotionally.

Have you ever watched the beach as the waves roll in? Footprints, sand castles, stick trails, holes dug, all disappear with a few waves. Leaving behind a fresh canvas to begin again.

My pastor this weekend compared God's grace to the waves on a beach and my mental images and memories ran away with the illustration.

John 1:16 says, "And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." Just as those waves crash ceaselessly upon the shore, his grace continues to wash over us. Take a moment to look and you see the fresh blessings flowing into our lives with each outpouring of His grace.

I began to look for what the Bible says we have received by grace:

our hearts to be strengthened by grace Heb 13:9
Life and salvation by grace Eph. 2:5-9
Promises by grace Rom 4:16

By grace we believe, by grace we have faith, by grace we are redeemed, by grace we receive an undeserved gift, by grace we live, by grace we have access to His throne, by grace we stand unshakable.

All that, a gracious gift. And more. Daily he pours out His grace again. Like the waves that never quit crashing on the sea shore, so His grace keeps washing up, wiping away, refreshing, and recreating. The gritty sand of our life becomes the canvas for His beautiful work in and through us.

Lord, thank you for pouring out Your grace on my life. Keep my eyes wide open to the blessings, and continue to grow in me a grateful heart. ~In Jesus' Name Amen

And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

~John 1:16~