But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. — 1 Peter 5:10
Grace is an amazing concept for the Christian. You will hear many attempts to define the word grace in relation to God’s grace, with the concept of “unmerited divine assistance” being the most commonly accepted definition. One pastor once said that grace is undeserved favor shown toward us from a compassionate God.
Throughout the Bible, we are told over and over that God is a God of mercy and grace. We are told God provides grace in the times of need. We read how God has provided grace in circumstances and how that grace is available for those who ask. Through the testimony of other Christians, we learn about how God has provided in their times of need and how God is an ever-present help in trouble.
I simply love the way that Paul writes it here in 1 Peter though. He says, “the God of all grace” indicating that any aspect of grace that we experience, no matter the type of grace, the situation, the circumstance, all comes from God. Even more than that, he seems to indicate that this is not a one-time event. It is an endless fountain of grace that is available to the believer in their walk through life.
Could you imagine if we only had a limited supply of grace to get us through life? Many of us may have used up our allotment well before the end of our lives. We may have found ourselves needing a significant supply of grace early on in our lives, leaving us helpless later on. Instead, Paul shares how this is not an allowance or a restricted measure of grace, it is an endless supply from a God who is in control of all grace.
The grace that you need may be different from the grace that I need each day. One thing is the same: the source of all grace. God knows exactly the type of grace we need and the amount of grace that will be required. No matter the situation, there is grace for each and every need of our life!
