His Marvelous Grace and Omniscience!

Scripture:  II Corinthians 5:9 - Therefore, we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well-pleasing to Him.

Have you ever been within earshot of someone describing another person’s less than stellar conduct (or speech) as being “out of character?”  Such statements can prompt the question, ‘I wonder if person x’s behavior really was out of character, or if who they truly are at heart simply made what I’d call an unplanned “candid appearance” before the watching world.  I’m not trying to make excuses for unseemly behavior, but we all—even in the Christian faith family-- have occasionally missed and do miss the mark of consistently excellent conduct.  (Rom. 3:23)  Praise God for His wondrous grace, as evidenced by one of our favorite divine pardoning verses, 1 John 1:9!  

It is also commonly reported that this world is no friend of grace—which is one of the numerous reasons that trusting Christ is such a wondrously unique and deeply humbling privilege—one toward which we must never become presumptuous, taking it for granted! Grace is never, nor has it ever been cheap!

Our Savior knew us before we were in our mothers’ wombs, according to Jeremiah 1:5.  Moreover,  “all the days ordained for us were written before even one of them came to be,” God tells us in Psalm 139:16  (NIV) .  So the next time you have a moment when your behavior, attitude, or  audible remarks  are “out of character,” not fitting who you are in Christ—not resembling one of your heavenly Father’s children, quickly call it what it is (confess it to our loving omniscient heavenly Father), forgive yourself, and move on!

Prayer:  Dear Father, I’m so overwhelmed with humility and awe at Your thorough knowledge of me and Your still  fervent agape’ love for me!  Help me to endeavor each day, upon waking, to have a mindset to pray, ‘LORD, You must increase and I decrease;’ help me to yield wholeheartedly to Your Lordship throughout this day, no matter what or who I encounter.  In Jesus’ name, I thank You.  Amen.

(by Sis. Denise M. Diggs)