One of the songs that speaks to me most powerfully about God’s grace is “New Grace” written by Tom Hayes.


The words of this song remind me of several truths about His grace.

• All of life is grace.

• He gives grace exactly when we need it – not before, not too late, but at just the right moment.

• His grace is unlimited.

• I don’t need to fear death; He’ll give me the grace to face it when it’s time.

Here are the words to the song.


All of grace is my story,
All the way from earth to glory.
Since by grace he lifted me from sin and woe.
Living grace he has extended
As on him my heart depended
And he’ll give new grace when it’s my time to go.

Chorus: Grace not yet discovered,
Grace not yet uncovered,
Grace from his bountiful store,
Grace to cross the river,
Grace to face forever.
There’ll be new grace I’ve not needed before.

There’s been grace for every trial.
There’s been grace for every mile.
There’s been grace sufficient from his vast supply.
Grace to make my heart more tender,
Grace to love and pray for sinners,
But there’ll be new grace when it’s my time to die.

Chorus: Grace not yet discovered,
Grace not yet uncovered,
Grace from his bountiful store,
Grace to cross the river,
Grace to face forever.
There’ll be new grace I’ve not needed before.

(If you’re reading this in a feed reader or in e-mail, you may need to click over to my blog to view the video.)

What’s your favorite song about God’s grace? 

“It seems odd, but usually our greatest trial is what molds and shapes us.  It gives us character, backbone, courage, wisdom, discernment, and friendships that are not shallow.”  ~Randy Alcorn in If God is Good

Trials come to all of us.  There’s your every day, garden-variety trial – not enough money at the end of the month, an afternoon headache, an irritating person, a job you don’t like.

Then there are what we might consider larger trials – the loss of a loved one, facing a chronic illness, a child who’s away from the Lord, a job loss.

Yet I’ve found that it truly is through our trials that we grow the most, that we find ourselves becoming more conformed to His image.  When my husband had back surgery last year, I learned more about prayer and trusting God than I had in a long time.  Losing our first child due to anencephaly taught me amazing lessons about God’s goodness, His grace, His peace, His perfect timing, and His love and care for me.

I love the phrase Alcorn uses – “friendships that are not shallow.”  Whether it’s family members or friends or church members, once they’ve walked with you through a deep valley, the relationship is forever sweeter and closer.

In the same book I mentioned above, Alcorn says, “God never wastes our pain.”  Whether that’s physical or emotional pain, I believe that there’s always a purpose to it.  Even when we can’t see it, He is always, always working for our good and His glory

So whatever trials you and I are facing today, I pray that we will recognize that God is developing in us those traits that will make us more like His Son and that, by His grace, we can come through our trial a stronger, more trusting Christian.

Source

Midst the twinkle of the Christmas lights,
Under the pile of presents,
Reflected in the silver of the baking sheets
Filled with cookies shaped like stars,
Do we see Jesus?

In the Christmas cards from family and friends,
In the carols playing loudly on the radio,
Behind the tree full of ornaments and tinsel,
Do we see Jesus?

In the wreath on the door, the candles flickering on the table,
The nativity set so nicely arranged;
In the “stockings hung by the chimney with care,”
Do we see Jesus?

At the office holiday party, the neighborhood buffet,
At the church musical, the school luncheon,
In the line at the post office, in the crowds at the mall,
Do we see Jesus?

In the Christmas books we read to our children,
In the cold and starry night sky,
In the faces of family gathered together
Celebrating the season of joy,
Do we see Jesus?

Let me not miss seeing Jesus this Christmas.

 “True prayer, then, can be rooted only in the recognition of genuine need.” ~Catherine Marshall in Christy

As I looked through my folder of potential blog posts, I noticed how many of the drafts that I have started have to do with prayer.  Perhaps this is fitting as I’ve been studying prayers in the Bible during my daily devotions.  In January, I hope to share some of what I’ve been learning – it’s such good stuff!

Yet in order to pray effectively, I have to see in my heart the need for prayer, which is ultimately my need for God and for seeing His hand at work in my life.

I love my prayer journal that allows me to look back over answered prayers.  With only a couple of weeks left in the year, I’m already beginning to reflect about all that has happened over the past twelve months.  From big concerns to small, God has faithfully answered prayer.

When we admit that we need God to show Himself mighty, that we have no power to affect an outcome, then we open ourselves up to see Him at work.  It goes back to my word for 2014 – trust. 

I can trust that He hears my prayers.  I John 5:14 says, “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us…”  Many times, He answers above and beyond what I expected.  Yet if God doesn’t answer a request as I think it should be answered, I have another opportunity to trust.  I know He will answer in a way that’s best. 

It’s not just in the big situations that I recognize my need, but in the daily trials I face.  Romans 12:12 exhorts us to be “rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…”

Today, let’s recognize our need for God’s guidance and goodness in our lives and strive, with the Holy Spirit’s help, to take our every need to Him in prayer.

Elisabeth Elliot said these words: “This hard place in which you perhaps find
yourself is the very place in which God is giving you the opportunity to
look only to Him, to spend time in prayer, and to learn long-suffering,
gentleness, meekness- in short, to learn the depths of love that Christ
Himself has poured out on all of us.”

Source

God gives trials to each of us in His will and in His time.  Mine won’t look like yours; yours won’t look like mine.

I have a sweet friend, only 34 years old, mother to a precious young daughter, who is fighting breast cancer.  God is giving her grace.  Another friend is recovering from a fairly serious car accident, one that wasn’t her fault, but has left her with residual pain and a long period of healing.  Others I know face financial difficulties, family separations due to work obligations, a child with ongoing health needs.

I Peter 1:7 tells us “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that
perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and
honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

These trials that God brings into our lives can, if we allow them, help us see our need of Him, teach us to rely on Him, make us more like Him, and bring Him glory.  It’s not natural or easy, but surrendering to His will and trusting His goodness can bring this about in our lives.

As this verse from the old hymn “How Firm a Foundation” reminds us,

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply.
The flames shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.”

Whatever trial you and I find ourselves facing today, may we realize the depth of His love, access His grace, and draw close to Him through prayer and His Word