(I originally posted this in Feb 2008 and sometimes I need a fresh reminder of just how amazing His grace truly is)

Grace – what a simple word, but what a powerful meaning. I throw this word around more than I should. Today, it hit me – I am here by the very Grace of God. By His grace He has saved me and by His grace He is using me. The very idea of it stopped me in my tracks. I often get so caught up in my own swirling vortex of stuff that I can’t see what’s going on around me, but today God grabbed my attention and I just sat in awe that it is by His grace that I will serve Him.

I won’t do it for man. I won’t do it for me. At least, I shouldn’t. I think it’s so easy to get caught up in the hoopla of life that we forget who we serve – a risen Savior and it’s the power that raised Him from the dead that is available to us.  We have THAT power within us!

Amazing stuff, isn’t it? I don’t pretend to be a scholar, I’m not.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers, I don’t.

But this, my dear ones, I do know. I serve Him by His grace and by grace alone.

I’ve taken other routes — all bad.
I’ve served for the praise of men – it doesn’t last.
I’ve served for my own selfish gain – doesn’t work.
I’ve served because others thought I should – I failed.

I’m in awe that God would still chose to use me, after all my failures. But for some reason He sees something in me that I can’t see. He chooses to use me this cracked, leaky, broken vessel of a person who’s slipped up more times than I care to count (and I’ll probably slip up a few more before this life ends).

It’s in my brokenness that I serve Him — and it’s because of His grace.