An awesome combination!

Power and grace. What an amazingly awesome combination when an infinite amount of each of them are mixed together as God's gift to us! God truly wows me when I read about "the immeasurable greatness of his power" in Ephesians 1:19 and about "the immeasurable riches of his grace" a few verses later in Ephesians 2:7. Immeasurable! Both are totally evident in what Jesus did for us on the cross (amazing grace) and in how God raised him from the dead and seated him on heaven's throne (awesome power).

But as I pause and consider the incredible scale of God's grace and power, I wonder how evident it is in the routines of my everyday life that I've been on the receiving end of such glorious gifts. Does my life appear as though it's been touched by "the surpassing greatness" of God's power and "the surpassing riches" of God's grace (as the NASB describes them)? Surpassing what? Surpassing our weaknesses. Surpassing our understanding. Surpassing our expectations. Surpassing our mistakes. Surpassing our abilities. Surpassing our insecurities. Mixed together, God's grace -- meaning his unmerited favour -- and God's power -- meaning his unlimited strength -- ought to radically change our lives, utterly altering our perspectives on what we see in this world and what we see in the mirror! They ought to fill us with complete confidence in the One who is "far above all rule and authority" (Eph. 1:21) and with genuine joy at having been shown his kindness (Eph. 2:7).

Though I can't possibly comprehend the sheer scale of these divine attributes, I have tasted enough of each to be made a new creation and a minister of the good news of Jesus (Eph. 3:7). And the key to living in the good of them -- when challengers rise up amidst the troubles of this world -- is to continually remind myself that the God whom I've invited to live within me and lead me everyday is the same God who is immeasurably powerful, gracious and kind!

© 2010 by Ken Peters