Grace Changes Everything
Even destruction into construction
When you’re gracious to others, many times you’ll discover they appreciate it. Not always, but often. It’s just a simple matter of manners. Your grace to them can break down barriers of belief, doors of distrust, and walls of wondering. But there’s one thing your gracious attitude won’t do…change somebody forever. So, when I say grace changes everything, I’m talking about God’s grace…the grace He showed toward everyone of us by offering us Jesus as a sacrifice for our human weaknesses. And that grace can change you (and where you’ll live) forever.
Have you ever met someone at one point in your life who loved to party, smoke, curse, and do whatever else felt good to do? Then, at some later point in your life, you meet them again, and they don’t live that way any more? In fact, they talk like one of those do-gooder Christians…because they, in fact, became one. Have you ever met someone like that? I have. As a matter of fact, many someones like that.
Grace changes everything for people who want it.
The key to being changed forever is hearing about the saving grace of Jesus and wanting it. It’s not enough to simply say “it sounds good” or “sure, that seems like a good idea…let me sleep on it.” No, you gotta want to change. You need to know you need to change. And it’s important to realize you haven’t done anything bad enough to keep you out of God’s grace. The love of Jesus can save you from yourself and anything you’ve done. Anything. Here’s an example…
There was a guy named Saul, who lived about 2000 years ago. And he was wholeheartedly dedicated to his Jewish faith. So much so that he was seeking out the new Christian religion of that time and persecuting anyone who would dare say Jesus was their Messiah. By persecuting, I mean even killing them. He believed what they were doing was blasphemy…a crime and sin punishable by death. Yikes!
Grace sure changed Saul.
He met Jesus…AFTER Jesus had been killed! Can you imagine meeting someone, face to face, when you just knew that person had already been killed? That might shake your foundation a little…don’t you think? Well, it certainly shook Saul’s. Jesus changed him forever. Even changed his name to Paul. And when he first started teaching about the Christian faith, people talked about how he had been that guy persecuting them and now he was preaching to them.
Once people listened to Paul’s messages, they saw the glory of God in him. That’s one example of how God’s grace changes everything. Paul was changed forever, and he wanted everyone to know how they could be, too. And that’s why I write, sing, and talk about all this. I want you to know how grace can change you forever, too. But you gotta be willing to listen. And you gotta want to be changed forever.
Do you want it?
Here are the lyrics to a song I wrote a few years ago about how the grace and love of Jesus changes you.
Drawn To You
Maybe it’s Your grace. I don’t know.
It could be Your Word. I’m not sure.
But You have a way of refining my thoughts.
Your Will is my strength.
Your Will is my cure.
Anytime it’s me making it up
Show me I’m wrong to just forget You.
You barely lift a finger, and You change my whole direction.
What else can I say? What more can I do?
I’m drawn to You
Like a June-bug to the light.
I’m drawn to You
Like a boxer to the fight.
I’m drawn to You
Like a sweet tooth and ice cream,
And it may all sound extreme,
But I’m drawn to You.
Maybe I’ll wake up…maybe soon
And find You take me home…
Who can say?
“˜Til then I’ll live it out…’til then I’ll follow through
And see how many more might feel the same way.
Chorus
Jesus, help me, won’t You take me to my heart’s desire?
Nothing could mean more than having You to be my fire!
Take me higher…draw me near.
Chorus…instrumental…repeat chorus to end
© Copyright 2000
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