The most important keyword throughout the Bible is "grace". Grace is a compact expression of Christian life and practice. It's worthy of meditation. Today is the Thanksgiving day for this year. So on this occasion, let's meditate on "grace" by looking at some Bible passages.
1. Psalm 30:4-5 "Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
The relationship between the Lord and us is not judgment and punishment, but rather grace and redemption.
2. Psalm 65:11 "You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance."
Every year, God leads us with grace along life's road.
3. Psalm 86:15 "But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."
The attributes of God include mercy and grace. He gives us his love.
4. Isaiah 55:3 "Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David."
The prophet Isaiah says the promise God gives us is an everlasting covenant, a promise once given to David, and signifies Christ's redemption in the New Testament.
5. John 1:14-16 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, "This is the one I spoke about when I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'") Out of his fullness we have all received grace. We all receive his abundant grace in place of grace already given.
6. Romans 3:23-27 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith."
The apostle Paul explains the grace of Jesus Christ: Jesus became the sin offering which saved us from our sins and restored our relationship with God.
7. Romans 5:14-18 "Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as the result of one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men."
In the Old Testament, Adam is the first man, while Jesus Christ is our head in the New Testament. We were all under the power of sin, but received eternal life.
8. 2 Corinthians 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."
What is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ? He emptied himself for us to give us his abundant life.
9. 2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."
The Lord Jesus Christ is with us in our ministry and his power rests upon us to reflect his power in our weakness.
10. 1 Peter 5:10-11 "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."
Finally, we should know God not only calls us, but restores us and gives us eternal glory.
