That word was very important to me as the year went by. We trusted God for wisdom in several decisions that had to be made for our family. When I wanted to worry or work my will on a situation, I sought instead to trust God. I tried to embrace Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
In this new year, the word that I haven’t been able to get away from is grace.
I’d already been considering this as the word for my spiritual focus in 2015 when we attended the church my dad pastors on the Sunday after Christmas. One of the hymns we sang that morning cemented this word in my heart.
Grace Greater than Our Sin
Julia H. Johnston
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out poured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.
Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?
Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!
As I sat down on my pew after we finished singing, I thought of the grace of God evidenced in my life at that very moment. My entire family – parents, siblings, siblings’ spouses and children – was all together in church worshiping God. There for my noticing was one of the many evidences of grace in my life that I never want to take for granted.
What will this year teach me about grace? I have no idea. I know that I’m saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8,9); He promises that “His grace is sufficient” (II Corinthians 12:9); and grace allows me to have victory over sin in my life (Romans 6:14). I hope that by focusing on God’s grace, I’ll continue to cultivate gratitude in my life as well.
Not only do I want to be attentive to God’s grace in my life, but I also want to be prepared to extend grace to others. I am just a saved sinner, seeking to serve God through His Holy Spirit’s power. Whether I’m interacting with unsaved people or fellow Christians, I want grace to characterize my relationships with others.
God’s grace is free, it’s infinite, and it comes straight from the Father’s hand to my heart.
My salvation began with the grace of God and it is only by His grace that I can continue to live the Christian life. May I be a testimony of His grace this year.
Isn't God's grace amazing! I think you picked a great word for 2015, and I hope that you will share with us what God teaches you this year about it.
LOVE! I mean, what is more remarkable than grace?!