Day 04

“Embracing the Grace of God—Now“
As God’s co-workers, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NIV)

THE GRACE THAT SUSTAINED us yesterday will not be sufficient for today. Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it to be available for us to embrace as needed.“…in great endurance, in troubles, hardships and distresses, ” (II Cor. 6:4 NIV)—this is how and where our patience is tested. Am I failing to embrace God’s grace in these moments? Am I saying to myself, “Oh well, I handle this storm and temptation this time”? It is not a question of praying and asking God to help me—it’s about embracing His grace “now.” An ongoing religious temptation is to make prayer about the preparation for our service, yet it is never that, as Jesus demonstrated. Prayer is the practice of embracing God’s grace. Stop saying, “I can’t handle this until I can get alone with God and pray.” Pray now—embrace God’s grace in your moment of need. Prayer is the most normal and useful thing for everyone, it is simply a reflex action of our connection to God in every waking moment. Most of us are slow to learn to embrace God’s grace through prayer.“…in beatings, imprisonments and riots…”(II Cor. 6:5 NIV)—in all these things, demonstrate in your life an embracing of God’s grace, which will show evidence to yourself and to others that you are a miracle of His. Embrace His grace now, not later. The “Now Word” in our spiritual vocabulary is “now.” Allow circumstances to take you where they will but keep em-
bracing God’s grace in whatever condition you may find yourself. Evidence that we are embracing God’s grace is that we can be totally humiliated before others without demonstrating the slightest trace of anything but His grace.“…having nothing…” Never hold anything in reserve. Pour yourself out, giving the best that you have, and always be poor in Spirit (Dependent on God). Never take charge over what God has entrusted you with, rather trust His guidance and wisdom in each passing moment.“…we own nothing, and yet we have everything.”—this is true dominion and authority in the Spirit (II Cor. 6:10 NLT).