I can’t get over the simple truth of Grace. God’s grace is simply amazing. I know that this next quote is going to be kind of long. But it is an excerpt from one of Matt Chandler’s messages. He is talking about the beginning of Matthew 5 and the “beatitudes.”

Blessed are the ones, happy are the ones, being healed are the ones, growing in depth are the ones, worshiping are the ones who are keenly aware of their inadequacies, their failures, their uselessness, how prone they are to wander, their difficulties. Blessed are the ones who keenly understand their brokenness, for they will be comforted. So let me trace the two paths for you. You’ve got the one guy who’s trying with all his might to not be the mess up but he really is. And every time he hears, “You’re a hypocrite, you’re a failure,” he feels, “I know, I’ve got to try harder. I’ve got to get better. I hate this sin. This sin owns me,” and he tries to work harder. So he comes to church every week and he hears someone talk best practices, “This is what a Christian should look like. This is how we should live.” He knows he’s not living up, and so he
gets overwhelmed, he gets depressed, he thinks it’s just not working for him and he contemplates giving up. That’s track A; you’re welcome to hop on it. Here’s track B. Track B is, “Hey man, you’re a hypocrite.” “I know. How crazy is it that Christ still loves me? How crazy is it that He lavishes forgiveness and love on me? I’m doing the things I know to not walk in anymore. And I now I’m constantly messing up, but praise His name that He still loves me right now.” “Hey man, you’re a bitter, angry man.” “I know I am. This has become increasingly clear to me because I try to follow Christ, but how unreal is He? How beautiful is He? How amazing is Christ that, in the middle of my bitterness and rage, He extends grace and mercy and love to me?” “Hey man, you’ve got a real lust issue.” “Man, I know. I’m in the step studies and I’m going to counseling and I’m trying to resolve this thing, but how beautiful is Jesus right now that, right in the middle of my lust, He loves me?” Not, “How great am I that Jesus loves me.” You take that turn and that’s blasphemy upon blasphemy upon blasphemy. Not how great am I that He would love me; how great is He that He would?

God’s grace astounds me everyday. God’s grace is so amazing - I can’t comprehend it. How great is He that he loves me?