A Grace Filled Christmas

We went to see an absolutely amazing Christmas light display the other night and as I was taking the picture my granddaughter went up and hugged the cross. For me it was a holy moment which captured the most powerful message of Christmas, GRACE!

Grace has permeated the month of December for us with memorial services for Patty’s brother Randy and my mom just days apart. Both services pointed to God’s life changing grace giving as a free gift. My brother-in-law used to say “I don’t understand all the mystery of grace but I know I need to believe it and receive it.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The text my mom wanted me to read and share was from 2 Corinthians 12:9:

“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you,  for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

When you lose a loved one life slows way down and your spiritual focus becomes super intensified. Those things that seemed like such a big deal before suddenly meaningless as you stare death in the face. What brings comfort, hope, peace, and yes even joy is knowing the gift of grace. The grace that comes to us as a free gift from Father God given to us through His only Son Jesus. Jesus, who became a helpless baby in order to identify with our weakness and eventually to destroy the power of sin and death through the cross and resurrection.

Yes, Grace is “mysterious” because we have nothing to do with it. Our works and efforts to reach God’s love and acceptance is worthless. Even receiving the gift of grace is grace! We need the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to believe and receive this precious gift of Jesus’ work on our behalf.

“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:5-6)

As I was scrolling through my pictures of the Christmas lights and landed on the one with our granddaughter hugging the cross I said to Patty, “that is the best Christmas present of all!” The picture reminded me to cling to the cross of Christ which is the greatest gift of Christmas and will last for all eternity.  And before you know it GRACE will lead you and me to our forever home joining other followers of Christ and best of all spending eternity with our Abba Father!

On behalf of Oceans Ministries we thank and praise the Lord for so many of you who have been God’s amazing grace to us and all we are called to share His grace with. We pray that you will have a deep sense of His grace poured out over you this Christmas season.