Grace is the eighth article in the series, The Life of Jesus Christ. To read the whole series click here.

Although I had been a Christian for many years when my husband was diagnosed with cancer, it was during this time that I began to understand grace. My husband’s illness was a stressful time as our children were then 6, 4 and 2 years old. I relinquished all my church responsibilities. My husband’s parents helped with the cleaning, washing and meals. I felt I was doing nothing, even though I was still the primary carer of three small children. Yet, it wasn’t until I reached this place where I no longer had the energy to do things to please God that I realized I didn’t need to. God brought me to the realization that I already had his approval. Grace is a gift and we don’t have to do things to earn his love and acceptance. God is more interested in growing my understanding of what it means to be a child of God than in completing tasks for him.

Children love presents, and they accept them without thinking about whether they deserve them, need them, or if it’s a special occasion. Jesus tells us to have childlike faith. A faith that accepts grace as a gift without thought of repaying or earning our way into God’s favour.

Watchman Nee writes, “God is so wealthy that His chief delight is to give … When the prodigal returned home the father had no word of rebuke for the waste nor of inquiry regarding the substance. He only rejoiced over the opportunity his son’s return afforded him for spending more. It was the father’s joy that he could find in him an applicant for the robe, the ring, the shoes and the feast; it was his sorrow that in the elder son he found no such applicant.” *

Jesus extends grace to those who know they’re in need, who know they’re sinners. “It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). The Pharisees expected to receive God’s favour when the Messiah appeared because they had diligently kept the Law. Yet Jesus didn’t meet their expectations. I’m concerned about Christians who expect me to show them grace just because they know I am a Christian. I wonder if they really understand grace. How can you feel entitled to receive something you don’t deserve?

*A Table in the Wilderness by Watchman Nee (February 19th). Victory Press, 1969.