Daily Devotions

The writer of Ephesians prays, “I ask God from the riches of his glory to give you power through his Spirit to be strong in your inner selves,” (3:16) This is a treasure of another dimension that infers, fullness, abundance, plenitude not of things but of grace. And what is this  grace?

John Newton was an English evangelical Anglican cleric and slavery abolitionist. He had previously been a captain of slave ships and an investor in the slave trade. He served as a sailor in the Royal Navy (after forced recruitment) and was himself enslaved for a time in West Africa. He is noted for being author of the hymns Amazing Grace and Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken.  His epitaph reads:

“John Newton, clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long laboured to destroy.”

Grace did not free him to serve no master, but a new Master.

A favoured definition of Grace for me comes from Fred Buechner. “The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn't have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don't be afraid. I am with you. Nothing can ever separate us. It's for you I created the universe. I love you. There's only one catch. Like any other gift, the gift of grace can be yours only if you'll reach out and take it. Maybe being able to reach out and take it is a gift too.”

In light of this perhaps the words of Jesus are enough, recorded by Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” To which Paul responds with, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness.”

Creating and eternal God,

whose grace is sufficient for us

and whose power is made perfect in weakness,

in our weakness and insufficiency,

we offer our lives

and the gifts of our living

for the work of your mustard seed kingdom;

in Jesus’ name. Amen.