Grace is Like That

"For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield; the Lord bestows (present) grace and (future) glory - honor, splendor, and heavenly bliss! No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." ~ Psalm 84:11, The Amplified Study Bible

I trudged up the country road that meandered past our home. Feelings of fatigue overwhelmed me. I looked up towards the heavens and began to sing, "I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice to worship You. O my soul, rejoice." I worshiped. My praise lifted me above my worries and nestled me beneath the shadow of His wings.

And then God opened my eyes to see.

I noticed the trees were beginning to bud. I noticed the wild primroses that grew in mass along the creek bank were bearing new leaves. Even though the starkness of winter remained, the plants were responding to the warmth of the sun.

I couldn't help but think about grace.
God's grace.

A familiar definition of grace is that of unmerited favor - favor that we do not deserve. The Hebrew word for grace found in Psalm 84:11 is chen (chayn) and means favor, graciousness, kindness, beauty, pleasantness, affectionate regard.

Affectionate regard. I love that.

God is, and will always be, a sun and shield to His people. "We are here in darkness, but if God be our God, He will be to us a sun to enlighten and enliven us, to guide and direct us. We are here in danger, but He will be to us a shield to secure us from the fiery darts that fly thickly about us." (Matthew Henry)

The sun gives warmth.
It illuminates and invigorates us. It replenishes us with bursts of new life.
That's what God's grace does.

His amazing grace illuminates our darkness. It warms our soul with hope, with forgiveness, with affectionate regard from the One who made us. When we find ourselves in a season of winter, God's grace warms us as the sun. It causes the power of the Holy Spirit to flow within us and bear new fruit, in spite of the barrenness around us.

Grace is like that, you know.

And so is the Giver of grace.



Thank You Lord. Help us to understand the power and faithfulness of Your grace. The concept of Your grace has become too familiar to us. Its name slips easily off our lips, but we dilute its value. Open our eyes to see Lord. Open our hearts to grasp the love that grace contains. Thank You for Your grace, Your mercy, Your love. Bless Your Holy Name, Lord. We love You. You are precious.
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If you received Morning Glory via email, please go to the Morning Glory page to worship the Lord through a song titled, "Grace Has Called My Name" by Kathryn Scott.