Grace

Well this post will not likely do justice to its title, grace is too big a topic for me to even scratch the surface of. The topic of grace is been one I ponder often and one that has again surfaced just now. There are times in my new life as a Christian when I truly feel how alive scripture really is. I have had countless times where I open the bible randomly and the verse(s) I read seem to jump off the page and relate to exactly what is going on at that very moment. Last night I was praying and found myself remembering things from my past that I am not proud of. I realized a lot of things I was praying about and feeing guilty about were things I had already asked forgiveness for. God's grace is so encompassing I have a hard time just accepting it sometimes. I believe I am forgiven and have been able to forgive myself for so many things through God, although clearly I am still trying to grasp the concept. I am excited to mature spiritually and grow to understand grace more deeply, I can't even put into words how much I crave it. So anyways, fast forward to about 10 minutes ago. I was getting ready to call it a night and saw a little notebook sitting on the coffee table down at my cape house. Someone had bought it as a way for people who rent our house to write notes about their stay. On the front in tiny writing was Eph 2:8. Upon looking up the verse this is what I found:
Ephesians 2:8
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God"
Grace is a gift, and it has also been the ruling theme of my life over the last year +
Over and over I am touched by grace and this theme is undeniably God working in my life. For fun I looked up the definition of grace and these are some of the definitions I found:
-Seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement, form, or proportion.

-A characteristic or quality pleasing for its charm or refinement.

-A favor rendered by one who need not do so

Gods grace is a gift, one that is ok to accept. Once in a while I guess I just need a reminder :)
I'll finish this with a verse from amazing grace that touches my heart each time I see it, simple and traditional yet beyond comprehension...

My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace