Surprised by Grace
by Ben Sparrow
"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." —John 1:16
Complete undeserved kindness. Total surprising grace. Not just grace—grace upon grace! This is how God deals with us in Christ. Can you comprehend how God—being all powerful, all knowing, all glorious, all sufficient (needing nothing from anyone)—wants to share all that He is and has with us forever? This is the surprise that is held out to us in the gospel—the opportunity to lay down our feeble and faulty attempts at finding joy in the trinkets of this world and to open our hearts and hands to the God who bestows upon us grace upon grace.
God loves to surprise people with his grace. The apostle Paul certainly wasn't looking for Jesus, but Jesus came looking for him. The woman came to the well hoping to go unnoticed, but Christ took notice of her. The shepherds in the field began the night watching their flocks but ended the night by the crib of Jesus, glorifying and praising God. It’s easy to get caught up in the ways of the world. Naturally, we look for joy outside of God. Naturally, we run from God and hide from the light. But the good news of great joy is this: the light that we’re tempted to run from is the very light that beckons us to draw near. It's a light that wants to bring all that is good—even the presence of God himself—straight into your life. In Christ, God wants you to take hold of the inexpressible joy and the inexhaustible pleasures that he holds out to you.
When Jesus died on the cross, he took the penalty that was rightfully ours and then rose victoriously from the grave, clearing aside all the obstacles in our way to the fullness of God. Our secrets, our shortcomings, our failure to keep his commands cannot keep us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hear his surprising invitation of grace to you today. Today he extends to you forgiveness. Today he offers transformation. Today he welcomes you into reconciliation and peace. Today he wants to surprise you with grace upon grace.