Grace = Favor
Recently I have been struggling in my faith. Not necessarily struggling in whether I believe in Christ or not, though I have struggled with that, but more in the way that Paul states it in Philippians 2:12b "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Fear and tremblinig describes me well. I am quite the worrier, sometimes so much so I make others worried about me:) But an issue I have been "trembling" about is am I truly saved? It scares me that the possability of hell could be waiting for me, or that I could lose my salvation. I recently was talking to someone about these concerns and we reached the topic of Grace, and how Grace is the essence of our salvation.
I decided the best thing for me to do was do a study on Grace. So I borrowed my friend's 20 pound concordance and turned the the G section where Grace waited my eager attention. It was 1:30am and I had to wake up in six hours for church so I decided to only look up verses concerning Grace in Genesis. The first reference was Genesis 6:8, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of...." So I opened my Bible to Genesis 6:8 and read, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." I continued looking at each reference of grace, and wherever the concordance said grace my Bible said favor. "I think I'm on to something," I thought to myself:) Grace somehow had been translated into favor, they share meaning.
Favor defined by Webster is "gracious kindness," or "oblige; endow; to treat gently or carefully; spare. To give support to: sustain, to offer chances for success." If Grace is the essence of our salvation this means Christ is saying, "you have found favor in my sight. I spare you from condemnation and will support and sustain you, and give you a chance for success (salvation)." WOW!! Is it even possible to absorb that in a moments time? All I have been able to think the past day is "Thank you God!"
"Thank you God that though I sin you still love me. Though I fall you favor me. Even though I'm weak and afraid your Grace is enough. Thank you God!"
I decided the best thing for me to do was do a study on Grace. So I borrowed my friend's 20 pound concordance and turned the the G section where Grace waited my eager attention. It was 1:30am and I had to wake up in six hours for church so I decided to only look up verses concerning Grace in Genesis. The first reference was Genesis 6:8, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of...." So I opened my Bible to Genesis 6:8 and read, "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." I continued looking at each reference of grace, and wherever the concordance said grace my Bible said favor. "I think I'm on to something," I thought to myself:) Grace somehow had been translated into favor, they share meaning.
Favor defined by Webster is "gracious kindness," or "oblige; endow; to treat gently or carefully; spare. To give support to: sustain, to offer chances for success." If Grace is the essence of our salvation this means Christ is saying, "you have found favor in my sight. I spare you from condemnation and will support and sustain you, and give you a chance for success (salvation)." WOW!! Is it even possible to absorb that in a moments time? All I have been able to think the past day is "Thank you God!"
"Thank you God that though I sin you still love me. Though I fall you favor me. Even though I'm weak and afraid your Grace is enough. Thank you God!"
posted by Estie Marie Barnes at 10:25 AM
2 comments
