Like love, my view on grace has evolved significantly over the years. As I journey through life, experiencing and observing, I find myself in need of grace more and more. Life becomes increasingly complex and grey, but God’s grace brings clarity and simplicity. We recognize that it is only through God’s grace that we receive salvation, hope, and peace, as it strips everything else away. You might say “but I” and list your mistakes and faults, but God says, “My grace is sufficient,” and looks upon you with love and forgiveness. You might say, “If only,” but God responds, “My grace is sufficient for you and is everything you need; my power is made perfect in your weakness.” You might see others through judgmental eyes, but God sees them through eyes of grace, just as He sees you. Do you get the point? When grace enters, the past no longer matters.

Unlike the world’s version of grace, which is temporary at best—like a grace period for bill payments where they don’t charge you a late fee for the first five days—God’s grace is permanent and everlasting. His Amazing Grace, which He has given us, is forever. He offers us salvation, not as a temporary coverage that is later revoked, but as an eternal gift. This is unlike any grace we know or have the capacity to extend to others on our own. That’s God’s grace for us.

What about how God wants us to extend His grace to others? For this, I’m reminded of the story of the unforgiving servant. His master forgave him a great debt, a debt for which the servant could have been punished severely if he was unable to repay. Instead, the master offered grace and completely forgave the debt. In return, the servant went out and did not offer grace to his fellow servant who owed him only a small amount of money. The servant could have easily forgiven the debt, especially in light of his recent debt forgiveness, yet he did not. Instead, the servant demanded his fellow servant be punished severely for being unable to pay the debt he owed. The master heard of this and brought the unforgiving servant in to be even more severely punished, greater even than what it would have been for just owing the debt. His crime was not only the debt he owed but his unwillingness to forgive. How could that man not forgive another who owed him so little when he had been forgiven so much? Have we not been given grace to cover a great debt we could never repay? How can we not offer God’s grace, his forgiveness, to others, considering how generously and freely it was given to us?

I know I seem to have switched from grace to forgiveness, but they go hand in hand. Grace is a game-changer, a life-changer for so many of us. Isn’t it time we extend that to others?

I want to take a moment to marvel at God’s grace. It’s not just because there’s a song called “Amazing Grace” that we know grace is amazing. We know God’s grace is amazing because none of us would belong to God without that amazing grace. The amazing grace of God that called us before, that carries us during, that covers us after, and that continues to hold us every moment. Amazing! God, help me not just to marvel at Your grace but to walk in it. Furthermore, let me be able to extend it to others. Help me to trust and rest in it, and to declare every day what a marvelous grace You’ve offered us!

Scriptures: Heb. 4:16, 2 Cor. 12:9, Rom. 5:1-2, Matt. 18:21-35