Dangerous Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed.

Read those lyrics again, sis. Don't just thoughtlessly sing along like you do when you hear it in church. Take a minute and let the lyrics actually sink in. Anybody that has been to church or was raised around somebody's grandma probably knows this hymn. Amazing Grace was written by John Newton over 100 years ago. Newton was a former slave trader who was said to have lived such a sinful, vile lifestyle that it almost drove him insane. He wrote the song after he cried out to God for forgiveness and was born again. Like, Mr. Newton, I was a mess! But because of God's amazing grace, I'm saved. Grace saved me. God has given me grace to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and to access His riches despite the fact that I lived like hell for so long. I definitely don't deserve it. But just like that... God loves me unconditionally and gives me grace to love Him back. And that very same grace, that has saved you as well... is often taken for granted. 

I've known the song since I was a very young child, but a few months back, during worship we began to sing it. Tears filled my eyes as I became overwhelmed with the significance of the lyrics. My heart filled with awe in realizing just what the songwriter was conveying. You see... you don't really understand Amazing Grace until you have been through some stuff; until you have experienced and understand just how amazing God's grace really is. 

Grace is a virtue from God, a gift to man, often considered unmerited favor. It is an undeserved assistance that is not earned or rewarded based on acts. You can't work for grace or get more of it because you are a super Christian. (Ephesians 2:8-9) No matter how bad we mess up or how convicted we feel, God forgives us based on His grace. There are different types of grace but the grace that has been described as amazing is the redeeming grace. It is the grace that allows us to maintain relationship with Christ and get back on a path of righteousness after we've fallen. Ephesians 2:4-5, might be one of the best passages to describe God's grace. (4) But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, (5) made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. Yeah, that is definitely amazing! Maybe I should remind you again...there is nothing that we can do to earn the grace that God gives us, it is received through faith. 

The sad thing is, Christians are dangerous in grace because we fully understand the extent of God's forgiveness. We know that we will be forgiven for our sins if we repent so we enter sin and compromising behavior with knowledge of God's grace and mercy. We then take advantage of this amazing grace that we are given. Romans 6:1-2 says "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Granted, I don't believe we should walk on eggshells; living life by putting more emphasis on trying not to sin than focusing on entering a relationship with Christ. But we also shouldn't take God's grace for granted. Grace is not permission to sin, it is an allowance to live in relationship with God after we sin. I don't believe that allowance extends to when we knowingly sin against God's word. 

It is important that we live in fear and reverence of God. Keep in mind that He holds the power of life and death in His hands and knows the motives of our hearts. As the songwriter said, not only did grace teach His heart to fear God, but it also gave Him peace. Incomprehensible .. just amazing. I say all of that to say this: 

I am guilty and I have heard others prelude a statement by saying "Lord, forgive me but...". If we are asking for forgiveness before even performing the act, that means we are committing premeditated sin. We, in fact, know that the thought we are having, the statement we are making, or the actions we are about to take are not right in God's eyes, therefore we ask for forgiveness first. Are we really asking God for permission to sin??!! The motives of our hearts are not right at all in these situations. 2 Corinthians 6:1 warns us not to take grace in vain. Unfortunately this is a habit that many of us have formed and in efforts of living lives that are acceptable to God, I challenge us to stop this. The next time you begin to say it or hear someone else do so, ask them to reconsider whatever it is they were going to say. James 4:17 says if anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them.  

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

This song has a totally different meaning when you truly understand what all grace has saved you from and how undeserving you are. Yes, grace has saved us from quite a bit thus far but we should never take for granted that we can continue to live as we want and expect to receive God's grace. That is the dangerous part about such an amazing grace. It is important that we repent and turn from ungodliness when God has given us grace because no man knows the time nor hour that the Son will return. 

Grace can be liken to a time period. Grace is the time period when God gives humanity His full mercy and favor. This time period is given so that we might be redeemed from our debt of sin. Our debt is due, yet God extends the payment period to allow us to obtain redemption. That's grace. Don't act like you've never taken advantage of a "grace period". That bill was due yesterday but you don't get paid until tomorrow. You were given a grace period of week to make the payment. Instead of going ahead and paying the bill tomorrow when you get paid... you wait until the last day of the "grace period". Not only that, you now know that the grace period is available so you probably won't pay it on time next month either. See where I'm going honey, that is taking advantage of grace. God gives us a grace period when we mess up. Instead of repenting and not purposely messing up again. We keep messing up because we know he is going to forgive us. Dangerous. 

In addition sis, repenting is more than just telling God you are sorry when asking for His grace. It is letting Him know you are grateful for His grace and won't do it again. Keep a healthy balance of God's grace as a gift to walk closely beside Him despite your falls while having fear and reverence that He can stop giving it to you it at any time. Don't take for granted that God will give us grace. It is unearned and undeserving. Just like with any other gift, the Giver can easily decide to withhold the gift. Not only that.... What if you messed up, intended to repent, forgot, and God called your number before He bestowed His grace? Keep grace amazing... not dangerous. 

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

With Love, 

-Kimyatta

Daily Prayer: Thank you Father, for your grace. I understand that you didn't have to give it to me and that you don't have to continue to have mercy on me. I know there is nothing I could ever do to repay you. I love and I am grateful that you love me.  

Scripture to Study: However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24