“I commend you to God [placing you in His protective, loving care] and [I commend you] to the word of His grace [the counsel and promises of His unmerited favor]. His grace is able to build you up…”
(Acts 20:32 AMP)
I heard a story last week of a woman whose life from childhood through much of her adulthood had been marked by trauma after trauma, including multiple rapes, abuse, a forced marriage, pregnancies conceived in rape, an abortion and its subsequent guilt, two suicide attempts, and several stays in a psychiatric treatment facility. I will not share her whole story because it’s not mine to tell, but I will say that as I listened to her recount trauma after trauma, I was astounded at how different her story was from the woman I see at church on Sunday mornings. There, she is smiling, praising God, friendly, and truly a lovely human being. I would have never, ever guessed she’d had such a challenging background because you don’t see it in her present countenance.
Which leads me to ask: what happened? Why is she not only alive, not only sane, but filled with God’s joy?
Grace.
It’s God’s grace in her life. The same God who gives her today’s joy gave her healing yesterday and strength the day before that. The same God has protected her, guided her, provided for her, and helped her to find release and freedom from all the trauma of her past. The same Grace that loved her as a child carried her through the worst parts of her adulthood and is still with her as she prepares for a late-in-life ministry, ministering to women who, often, have similar stories. “We know that God uses all things for good,” takes on a whole new depth when you think about what she’s endured and how God is preparing her to use those things to minister to others.
That’s God’s grace.
God of Grace and God of Glory,
Thank you for your grace upon our lives. Thank you for the grace of salvation through Jesus Christ and the grace of living through many other things. Thank you that when we are weak or in hardships or persecutions or difficulties you are with us and you help us. Thank you for your healing grace upon our lives. Thank you for your strength and your power within us so that we can endure to the end. We know that when you are our Lord, we can be strong, firm, and steadfast because you work together all things for your Good. Help us to grow in grace, mercy, love and the fullness of Holy Spirit so we can extend grace and peace to those around us. We ask in the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NIV)
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:2 NIV)
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” (Philemon 1:25 NIV)
“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:10 NIV)
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18 NIV)
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV)