GRACE

 "and the grace of our Lord overflowed, 

along with the faith and love 

that are in Christ Jesus."

1 Timothy 1:14

"The gift of grace - the greatest joy."

Beth Moore

Grace:  the freely given, 

unmerited favor and love of God.

the spirit of God operating in humans  

to regenerate or strengthen them.

Freely

Given

Unmerited

No strings attached.

I can do nothing to earn it.

All  I have to do is receive it.

Then...

I must live it.

If someone gives me a wonderful gift, 

something I've always wanted,

and I set it on a shelf in a closet, 

what good is it?

I need to use it.

That's the way it brings joy to my life.

God's gift of grace is no different.

I must allow this gift to fill me to overflowing.

 

How does this grace overflow to others?

 There is a saying that,

"Cracked pots spill the most water." 

 

 

Let's see.

Scripture tell us we are jars of clay.

Stress causes clay to crack.

All of us experience 

pain, trials, and troubles;

in other words, 

stress. 

So we're all cracked pots!

 What's in us will spill out onto others.

If we are truly God's child,

shouldn't we be filled with His grace and love?

If we are filled with His grace and love,

shouldn't that overflow to the people around us?

 Makes sense to me.

Soak up God's grace.

Then let it ooze out of the cracks

until it touches the lives 

of the people you love.

Let the overflow reach the lives 

of people you like.

Let the overflow reach the lives

of people you don't like.

And let the overflow reach the lives

of people you don't even know.

Be a cracked pot for God!