How Grace Changes Us

 

I’ve been on a quest to understand grace.

For a long time.

And through the years I’ve no doubt that God has given me grace during the tumbles and twirls this baby girl of His took as she journeyed through the mire.

American Christianity doesn’t do grace well. Many are bruised. Dirt on our faces. Scuffs on our shoes

The ballerina with a hole in her tights.

That’s me.

We’re so focused on being Holy

That we miss the whole.

But I’ve learned a lot this week studying the scriptures on our Bite of Bread reading plan. And in case you don’t get to join us on the daily broadcast, I had to share my new understanding.

What Grace Is

 

The real meaning of Grace can only be found in the ancient language. Not the Greek, but the Hebrew. In the video below I explain that Grace’s ancient counterpart is Chesed. Chesed means merciful, loving acts of kindness undeserved but bound by a covenant, a relationship.

Chesed frees us.

Saves us.

Protects us.

Peter, the one who sank in the waves when He tried to walk on water and who denied Jesus three times but reinstated by His risen savior–that Peter knew chesed. 

That Peter writes,

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2).

If we re-write some of these words in his language, it would read: “Chesed and Shalom be yours in increasing measure through a deep down knowing of God and Jesus our master.”

Shalom means more than peace. It means wholeness and prosperity (not financially but inward blessings). Like the curved plastic arms of the monkeys linked together coming out of the barrel, Shalom, peace, wholeness, and prosperity grab onto Chesed, the merciful acts of loving-kindness of God.

And we are changed.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption of the world caused by ungodly desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4).

So His Chesed has made us holy, but in the meantime, while we still breathe the air of this world, His Chesed and Shalom are making us  whole.

Friday Bite of Bread Broadcast

Come learn why Peter wrote these words and how it affects us. (You can do the Friday dance with us!)

 

XXOO

 

Andy

 

PS. If this was encouraging, and you don’t want to miss any Bite of Bread reading plans and posts, subscribe today! You’ll receive a 22-Day Devotion on Psalm 119 called Finding the Beauty Full in God’s Word.Just click here to dig deep to live fully. 🙂