Our Daily Grace: Radiance, Not Shame

"The radiance of His beautiful face filled the whole of the earth, following Adam into the depths... rescuing him from endless death."

Julian of Norwich

"Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."

Psalm 34:5

At our worst, in our deepest darkest places, if we dare to look into His face we see that He is smiling at us!  We'll never come away from an encounter with Him feeling ashamed; instead, we'll come away radiant because we've been with the One who radiates only joy, only peace, only love to us!

A thought: Jesus makes me smile!

Our Daily Grace: Unchanging Love

 "His love is unchanging. And He loves you 100%. He won't love you any better when you become better. He loves you 100% right now.  Even if you have no plans to become better, He will still love you 100%.  Because that's the way He is."

Graham Cooke

"Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His loyal love endures forever."

Psalm 136:26

God is 'all in' and loves us 100%!  He loves us to the maximum amount every moment of every day.  And there's nothing we could do to change that!

A thought: God is loving all of me with all of Himself!

Our Daily Grace: What's On God's Mind

 "Sin isn't the main thing on God's mind, love is."

Anne Cary

"God is Love."

1 John 4:16

Love isn't just one of the many attributes God has - Love is His very Being.  God IS Love.  What a relief that God is Love, not judgment.  His main focus is loving us, accepting us, embracing us, helping us. He is not rejecting us when we sin but is sticking right beside us. Rather than making us suffer for sin, He  is suffering with us.  He is not punishing us but healing us. What a wonderful God and Friend!

A thought: God is loving me, not judging me.

Our Daily Grace: God's Way Is Called Grace

"What have you done that causes you to think God may be disappointed or perturbed toward you?  Whatever it is, you need to set it aside because that's what He has done."

Steve McVey

"He saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'"

John 1:29

We have a system in this world, where people should 'get what they deserve' and 'pay for what they did wrong' - but God has a different system: it's called grace.  God is a crazy God who doesn't even count what we do wrong against us, doesn't hold us guilty for sin, and actually takes our sin out of the way and absorbs it into Himself, blessing us instead.  God hasn't ever been perturbed with you or disappointed with you due to some failure on your part.  God has always loved you unconditionally, accepted you freely, and held you securely in His arms.  Let's stop worrying about our sin and start enjoying the One who loves us more than we could ever imagine!

A thought: God's way is grace.

Our Daily Grace: The Central Theme

"He is the central theme of all that exists."

Andre Rabe

"For all that exists originates in Him, comes through Him and is moving toward Him; so give Him the glory forever. Amen."

Romans 11:36

This creation, this march of the cosmos through time, is a love story with God at the center.  He is the hidden heart of the universe, the hidden lover of our souls, the hidden goal of the story of humanity.  As not only the theme but also the ultimate author of the human story, God already has the ending worked out and will make sure we get there.  One day God will be fully revealed as the center of all creation, and we will find ourselves face to face with the One who loves us forever - the ultimate happy ending to the story!

A thought: My life is a love story written by God. 

Our Daily Grace: Gentle God

 "While we may feel anger, disagreement, and strife within ourselves, we are always mercifully enfolded in the Beloved's gentleness, kindness, and humble accessibility."

Julian of Norwich

"The wisdom that comes from God is first utterly pure, then peace-loving, gentle, approachable, full of tolerant thoughts and kindly actions.."

James 3:17

God's wisdom is to be gentle and kind to us, peaceful and approachable with us.  We may be harsh with ourselves or each other, but there is no harshness coming from God, only gentleness like a still small voice or a soft breeze of His Spirit blowing in our souls. We may feel tension and anger within, but His gentleness continually wraps around us with softness, love and acceptance.  He is so good to us!

A thought:  God is always tender and gentle with me.

Our Daily Grace: Superlative Love

 "Any good we can do God can do better."

Antony Campbell

"Your steadfast love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds."

Psalm 36:5

All the universe couldn't contain His love, a love beyond imaginings, a love beyond all superlatives. However much we have been loved, accepted, understood, defended and supported by the most loving person in our life, that is only a tiny echo of the immensity of God's love and care for us! 

A thought: Noone has ever loved me as much as God does right now.

Our Daily Grace: The Fellowship of the Trinity

"God does not invite us into an inferior fellowship, but to the very fellowship that He and His Son enjoy for all eternity!"

Francois du Toit

"God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

1 Corinthians 1:9

Through Christ we have been brought into the very love circle of the Trinity.  We have been lifted up into the perfect relationship of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  We have been made part of that fellowship of eternal love, sharing, and joy.   This is our inheritance as children of God!

A thought: I am wrapped up in the love of the Trinity forever.

Our Daily Grace: Beautiful

"Every person is beautiful to God!"

Anne Cary

"Never retaliate: instead, cultivate the attitude to anticipate only beauty and value in every person you encounter."

Romans 12:17

God asks us to look for beauty in every person, because that is how He is with people.  He looks for the good in every person. Even if we sometimes lash out at God, He doesn't retaliate.  He simply keeps seeing our value, speaking positive words of blessing and encouragement, seeing something good and beautiful in us.  He is a true encourager!

A thought: God sees beauty in me even when I can't see it!

Our Daily Grace: Healing Our Hurts

God never hurts the hurting; He never bruises the bruised.

Susannah St. John

He heals the broken-hearted and bandages their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

He is our healer.  He is not inflicting pain, He is removing it!  When we are down, He doesn't berate or lecture us, He simply helps and heals us.  He is a place where we can let our defenses down and share our hurts and wounds. Our broken hearts are safe with Him.

A thought: God is healing my heart.

Our Daily Grace: Fresh Every Morning

 "Every day is a good day, and You're the reason why!"

Cain the Band

"The Lord's loyal kindness never ceases; His compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; Your faithfulness is abundant!"

Lamentations 3:22-23

God's kindness is always there for us, renewed and fresh with every sunrise.  Every day He is doing something good. Every day is a precious gift, filled with the love and compassion of God!

A thought: Every day God's goodness washes over me.

Our Daily Grace: Not Blamed

 "He does not blame me for sin."

Julian of Norwich

"I came to save the people of this world, not to be their judge."

John 12:47

Jesus understands how hard it is to live in this broken world.  He doesn't shame us for being human, having problems, or making mistakes.  He doesn't expect us to be perfect.  He is here with us, not to judge or blame us but to help us.  All He ever wants to do is to help us!

A thought: God is thinking about me, not about my sin.

Our Daily Grace: Tender-Hearted

 "His heart is the most sensitive and tender of all."

Richard Foster

"Be kind to one another, cherish tender feelings for each other, forgive one another, just as God forgave you in the King."

Ephesians 4:32

God wants us to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving because that is the way He is towards us.  He cherishes tender feelings for us, is moved with compassion for us, longs for us deeply, and is so touched by our every feeling.  He has the kindest, softest, most loving heart of all!

A thought: I move God's heart!

Our Daily Grace: He is Our Place of Calm

 "Jesus says, 'Shh! Be still. I am here. All is well."

Brennan Manning

"Be still, and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

He is our place of calm in the midst of the storm.  He can get us through anything.  He takes care of us even when we can't feel Him there.  Often we are anxious, worried, and fearful, but it doesn't matter because He is still carrying us through. He is the one who is quieting our heart, being peaceful in us, and reminding us that no matter what happens, He is still God and He is still in ultimate control. 

A thought: He is my peace.

Our Daily Grace: Heaps of Love

 "Grace never heaps guilt, shame or condemnation on people.  Grace heaps unconditional love on people.  Grace accepts us just as we are!"

Steve McVey

"Immense in mercy and with an incredible love, He embraced us."

Ephesians 2:4

He doesn't shame or blame us.  He just loves us!  All He has for us is heaps and heaps of love, kindness, goodness, generosity and friendship.  We are being inundated with the unconditional love of God at all times. That is the grace of God!

A thought:  All God does is love me.

Our Daily Grace: The Good News of Acceptance

 "We are accepted wholesale. Accepted with no possibility of being rejected. Accepted once and accepted forever. Accepted at the ultimate depth of our being...  God accepts me, owns me, holds me, affirms me, and will never let me go."

Lewis Smedes

"We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that He has already thrown open His door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand - out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise."

Romans 5:2

It's so beautiful to think that when we open the door to God, we find He's already opened His door to us.  He accepts us before we ever accept Him.  He has never condemned us, only accepted us.  He has never rejected us, only welcomed us.  He sent Jesus to take away anything that would make us hesitant to come to Him.  This is the good news!  Jesus is God accepting us, refusing to let us go!

A thought: I am accepted with no possibility of being rejected.

Our Daily Grace: Reconciled In Joy

 "Everything will be reconciled in joy.. He transforms all things, no matter how ugly or sorrowful, into blessing."

Julian of Norwich

"In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forever more."

Psalm 16:11

In the end, all will be joy.  In His presence, there is no sorrow, pain, or suffering.  In His presence is full, complete joy and delight that never ends!  All the tears, hurts, and troubles that we carry within us, even the ones we ourselves have caused, will somehow be transformed into joy.  That is the ultimate reconciliation and God wouldn't have anything less for us!

A thought: I'll be happy in my God forever!

Our Daily Grace: He Does It All

 "The Christian life is totally grace. God initiated it, God fulfills it, and God will complete it. He is the One who lives it in us."

Dan Stone

"I'm convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

This life is too much for us.  But it's okay because God is in us, working, moving, carrying us along.  He is the One who is living out of us.  He is the One preparing us for each new day and then seeing us through that day. He is the One who makes sure we get to where we need to be.  He is the One making sure of the happy ending for us!

A thought: Life isn't up to me, it's up to God in me!

Our Daily Grace: Nothing Can Stop His Grace

 "Grace overcomes our shame by simply accepting us, the whole of us..with no regard to our virtue or vices..  Nothing I do or nothing I fail to be will even tempt Him to hold back His grace."

Lewis Smedes

"God is good to one and all: everything He does is soaked through with grace."

Psalm 145:9

Nothing can stop God from loving us or showing us grace.  Nothing can stop God from accepting us.  Nothing can stop God from being good to us.  It is simply who He is! We are always surrounded by the love, goodness and grace of God.  

A thought: I am never outside the reach of His grace.

Our Daily Grace: Before We Become Acceptable

 "Grace is the gift of being accepted before we become acceptable."

Lewis Smedes

"Look at Him..a friend of ..sinners!"

Luke 7:34

It's wonderful how Jesus was glad to spend time with anyone and everyone, accepting, loving, helping and healing them. They didn't have to change or clean themselves up first. Rather than acting too holy to be around sinners, He said those were the very people He came to help! He loves the "unlovable" and accepts the "unacceptable." What a Friend we have who completely includes us as His friends, just as we are!

A thought: Jesus loves being my friend.

Our Daily Grace: In the Center of His Love

"We are completely lovable in His sight and we stand fully in the center of His love."

Julian of Norwich

"Your life is kept with Christ in God."

Colossians 3:3

We are standing. cherished and embraced, at the center of His love.  We are hidden with Christ in the tender heart of God. In His wonderful presence of love there is nothing to fear.  Here there is no struggle or striving.  Here there is no worry or despair. Here there is only peace and joy and rest.  We are always at the center of His love, fully accepted, fully cared for. Here within Him everything is perfect.

A thought: At every moment I am safe in His love.

Our Daily Grace: One Loving Phrase

 "Grace has one loving phrase:  You are accepted.  Accepted, accepted, accepted."

Lewis Smedes

"There is no question of being at odds with God in any way."

Romans 5:9

No matter what others think of us or even what we ourselves think of ourselves, we are accepted by the most important One of all.  God accepts us as we are, at every moment, no matter what.  We are totally taken in.  We belong.  We are home.

A thought: God is the place I can always go to find acceptance.

Our Daily Grace: Good Overcomes Evil

 "God meets evil with good.  Love overcomes the spirit of evil."

Julian of Norwich

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Romans 12:1

God asks us to return good for evil, to overcome evil with goodness, because that is His method.  He meets all humanity's evil not with wrath or vindictiveness but with goodness and love.  He melts our hearts with kindness and overcomes the coldest, darkest mind with the strongest, most powerful force in the world - His unconditional love!  God's love will win against evil every time and will ultimately win against all evil for all time!

A thought:  God's love for me is the strongest thing there is.

Our Daily Grace: God in the Darkness

 "He has followed us into our darkness, and there where we thought to finally escape Him, we run straight into His arms."

Simon Tugwell

"I can never be lost to Your Spirit!  I can never get away from my God!"

Psalm 139:6

God was willing to become a man, to step into human flesh and enter this world to be with us in all our pain and trouble.  And He is still doing that today.  He enters into our pain and feels our anguish with us.  He holds us in the darkness.  Even if we run from Him, He comes with us to wherever place we run..  And if He is there for us at our lowest places, or even when we are at our worst, we KNOW He will be with us forever! He will never let us down!  

A thought: At the darkest moment, God holds me.

Our Daily Grace: Always Enfolded

 "Whether rising or falling, we are always graciously enfolded in one love."

Julian of Norwich

"His compassions never fail."

Lamentations 3:22

We are always wrapped in God's love and compassion, like a child snuggled in a warm blanket.  Whether we are having a great day or a terrible day, whether we are successful or failures, whether we are happy or sad, His love enfolds us and will never fail us.  We are cherished, we are safe, we are enfolded in the tender love of God.

A thought:  God holds me close to His heart today.

Our Daily Grace: Unlosable Love

 "You can't get away from a love that will not let you go."

Robert F. Capon

"I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I'm not letting go."

Isaiah 41:13

No matter where we find ourselves, His love is there, holding us.  No matter how much we fight Him, rebel against Him, and turn our backs on Him, He is always right there, loving us.  This is the love that melts our hearts no matter how cold they may become.  This is the love that will never leave and never stop embracing us. We are safe in this unlosable love of God!

A thought: He won't let go.

Our Daily Grace: Happy in His Love

 "It is the greatest worship we can give Him, that we should live happily and merrily because of His love."

Julian of Norwich

"In Your generous love I am really living at last!  My lips brim praises like fountains!"

Psalm 63:3

God's love brings such joy!  We are loved no matter what, so we can start living more freely, singing more often, relaxing more often, enjoying ourselves more often.  It brings our heavenly Dad such joy to see His kids happy!

A thought:  We are loved into joy!

Our Daily Grace: No Conditions

 "With grace, there is not one single note of condition."

Robert F. Capon

"'For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then My faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,' says the Lord who has mercy on you."

Isaiah 54:10

God promises to be our friend, to be there for us, to keep on loving us, to stick with us and bless us, through thick and thin.  It's a no-matter- what kind of promise with no strings attached, no conditions at all. We will fail, but it doesn't matter, because HE never will!

A thought:  God requires nothing of me and gives everything to me.

Our Daily Grace: Perfect for God

 "You're perfect for God. Perfect."

Graham Cooke

"The Lord you God is with you.  The mighty One will save you. The Lord will be happy with you.  You will rest in His love.  He will sing and be joyful about you."

Zephaniah 3:17

He looks at us and says, "You're perfect; don't change a thing."  It is almost unfathomable to realize that we are perfect to God.  In His loving gaze, we can completely relax. How wonderful to just rest in His arms today and hear Him sing a love song in our hearts!  

A thought: God is always smiling at me.

Our Daily Grace: Destined To Win

 "You're condemned to success and a victim of victory!"

Rob Rufus

"Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ."

2 Corinthians 2:14

No matter what, Christ just keeps on winning the victory through us.  No matter what, we are victors in Him.  No matter what, the ultimate victory has already been won and will be revealed in an amazing way!  Sin can't touch His victory through us, and death can't touch it either.  We are destined to win!

A thought:  I am already a winner in Christ.

Our Daily Grace: Complete in Him

 "We have been made complete in Jesus and need nothing but to be conscious of this truth."

Bertie Brits

"So you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ."

Colossians 2:10

We are filled with God, the Infinite One, so we cannot be lacking in any way. God has filled us with Himself; this is the fullness of life we were always meant to enjoy!

A thought:  I have Christ so I have everything..

Our Daily Grace: No Requirements

 "I want to say that, categorically, ...you have no Christian duties!"

Rob Rufus

"Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace."

Romans 6:14

We are not slaves trying to measure up to a master's demands or requirements.  We are children, unconditionally loved by our wonderful Father!  God demands nothing of us.  He loves us for free.  Living in the free favor and love of such a Father, we want only to love Him back!

A thought: I don't have to measure up.

Our Daily Grace: Carried Along

 "We are buoyed up and carried on by a life greater than our own."

Brennan Manning

"When you are old, I will still be there, carrying you... I will carry you as I always have.  I will carry you and save you."

Isaiah 46:4 

It's so good to know we don't face anything alone.  There is a great Someone in us who is carrying us, supporting us, handling things through us.  He is big enough for any challenge.  His overflowing Life keeps bubbling up from within us to fight every fear and bring us through every storm.  His Spirit of power and grace will buoy us up every time, through good times and bad.  And He will make sure we get safely home!

A Thought: I am a little child carried in God's arms.

Our Daily Grace: The Face of Love

 "At no time is His acceptance of me ever in question.  At no time does He ever deal with me except in perfect love, acceptance, and kindness."

Bob George

"God is love."

1 John 4:8

His only stance towards us is acceptance.  His only thought towards us is love.  His only action towards us is kindness.  There is such security in knowing He isn't a two-faced God; every time we look at Him we only see the face of pure Love!

A Thought:  All I will find in God is love.

Our Daily Grace: Nothing Left to Do About Sin

 "The sin issue between us and God is truly over.  God never deals with us on the basis of sins.. He is satisfied with the work of Christ on our behalf.  There is nothing left for Him to do in regard to sin."

Bob George

"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

John 1:29

Jesus took away the sin of the world.  It is gone according to God, as far as the East is from the West.  God has nothing more to do about sins; it's already been taken care of for good! So we do not need to focus on sins.  Now we can focus on just enjoying friendship with Him.  This is what He has longed for all along!

A Thought:  God isn't thinking about my sin.

Our Daily Grace: At Home with God

 "The free gift of God is uninterrupted, unending life with God (relationship)."

Bob George

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

Psalm 23:6

Knowing Him is coming home and never being lost out in the cold again.  Knowing Him is finding the love you've looked for all along.  Knowing Him is knowing you will always belong.

A Thought: No matter what, I am always at home with God.

Our Daily Grace: Already

 "We are already as holy, righteous, forgiven and loved as we will ever be - RIGHT NOW."

Mike Fitzpatrick

"But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

1 Corinthians 1:30

We are not trying to get righteous or trying to get sanctified.  We already are those things, right now.  We have Christ's own righteousness and holiness as our own. We are as righteous as Christ is, as approved by God and as right with God as Christ is.  We are as holy as Christ is, as set apart.  Right now!

A Thought: I have God's stamp of approval.

Our Daily Grace: No Transgression

 "Where there is no law, and there isn't for us as Christians, then there is 'no transgression.' We can't violate something that doesn't exist in our life."

Marcus Chewning

"Where there is no law, there is no transgression."

Romans 4:15

We are not under law but under grace. We can't be lawbreakers or violators of the law anymore, for we have been delivered from the law completely! We can forget about trying to keep the rules or worrying that we don't keep the rules and just enjoy the freedom of living in the grace and love of God.  For He doesn't see us as failures who deserve punishment but as children who deserve love.

A Thought: I am never a failure to God.

Our Daily Grace: Accepted

"True freedom is being accepted as we are in Christ."

Elaine

"To the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."

Ephesians 1:6

God knows all about us and accepts us just as we are.  We are finally free of the tyranny of "trying to be accepted."  We are already accepted in Christ.  God accepts us just as He accepts His own Son. And God could no more reject us than He could reject His own Son!

A Thought: God already accepts me.

Our Daily Grace: Our Gentle Dad

 "God never despises, shames or belittles His younguns."

Mike Fitzpatrick

"The Lord is waiting to be kind to you. He rises to have compassion on you."

Isaiah 30:18

What a gentle heavenly Dad we have!  We may despise ourselves, but He never despises us.  We may feel ashamed, but He doesn't shame us.  We may put ourselves down, but He never belittles us.  There is nothing but gentleness, kindness and compassion coming to us from God.

A Thought:  God is kind and gentle with me.