That's Not Fair!

♪The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair♫ -Relient K "Be my Escape"

Grace-undeserved acceptance and love granted by a superior to an inferior. 

Mercy-one's consideration of the condition and needs of another and doing what is possible to lessen a burden.

Many people find these two definitions to be synonymous. They, however, are not. In Matthew 2:13, the Bible says, "for judgment is without mercy." Notice it says mercy, judgment is without mercy. Now one may stop and think "if God's justice is without mercy, then there can be no hope." Here is the bright side though...his judgment is without mercy, but is not without grace. In fact, his judgment is full of an unending waterfall of grace. Just when you think He's done pouring it out on you, more comes.  Through God's grace we are able to cheat life and overcome death just as Jesus did. The lyric above is what Relient K is trying to get across in this song "Be My Escape." Jesus is our escape from everything..from life, from death, from sin, from the devil, and everything in between.  And the beauty of grace is that just when the devil and our sin has ruined our earthly lives, God steps in and offers his undeserving acceptance and love and we are able to overcome life, death, sin, and the devil. In Hillsong's song "To Know You're Name," the chorus sings "Cause I know you gave, the world your only son for us to know your name, to live within the saviors love and he took my place, knowing he’d be crucified and you loved.. you loved, a people undeserving!" It was only through great sacrifice that we are offered such unconditional and undeserving love and acceptance.  If you have never accepted God's free gift of grace, the place is here, and the time is now. Tomorrow is not promised.

Challenge:  Thank God for His grace that He offers to us everyday and remind yourself daily that since you have done nothing to earn His love and acceptance that there is nothing you can do to lose it either.