WEDNESDAY 1ST JULY, 2020

WORD FOCUS:  GET GRACE FOR THE PACE (1)

TEXT: Hebrews 4:16 “Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need…”

Some years back, I watched a marathon race. One thing the runners did was pace themselves. When the gun goes off everyone starts with a rush of adrenaline and energy, but they realize that they cannot keep a starting pace for the entire 26 miles, so they look for their stride that will allow them to finish the race.  As the runner expended more and more energy during the race, he would need replenishment. He needs glucose and water to continually energize and hydrate his body so that he wouldn’t wear out before the finish line. It would be crazy for him to presume to run the race at his pace without some kind of relief along the way. Similarly, we need God’s grace to help us keep the pace and finish our race!  As I sat that day, watching everyone cross the finish line, I had a God moment, I thought, Lord, this is what you see every day. People finish their race on earth and they cross that heavenly finish line. Some of those in the marathon finished the race strong, energized, and full of joy, others finished the way a lot of believers do. Apostle Paul said that we’re to run with patience [or perseverance] the race that is set before us {Heb.12:1]. Yet many people finish their race with a limp or stagger and others crawl across the finish line because, without God, we can’t finish any other way. With God, we can finish strong.

Imagine a marathon runner trying to race wearing a ski jacket, hiking boots and motorcycle helmet. It would be too big of a burden and just the weight of the extra clothing would wear the runner out. Often in life, we are like that runner. As we run our race, we carry the weight of the world, worries, cares and burdens which weigh us down. We need to unload, we need to cast our cares and get some relief. We need to upload our concerns to the Lord and receive His grace. Grace has been defined as “favour – strength, help, counsel, direction, support, for various duties and trials of life”. God’s grace is a tangible deposit; one dimension of it is an internal infusion of His strength. When we access His grace by faith, He helps us stand strong and we are supernaturally endued with His power and ability. He downloads His strength into our very spirit, our inner man, especially when we are weak. He supernaturally enables us to do what we thought we could not do.   He increases our margin; He gives us His ability and helps us do what seemed humanly impossible; God’s grace is a wonderful thing. The best news that God wants to give us is more and more grace. Like proverbs 31, the one who fears the Lord will surely receive the grace daily in life.

MEDITATION: 2 Corinthian 12:9

STUDY THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

MK 11:15-33; 1KGS 2; HOS 5:5-15

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#2020JesusSignsAndWonders

Godhead Interdenominational Ministry