Say Thanks - Give Grace

“But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many”
Romans 5:15

The big American feast day is almost here! Thanksgiving - a time when we stop to enjoy the blessings of the harvest, of family and of friends. It is a time, more so than other times of the year when we give thanks for these many blessing and to thank the provider of our blessings – God. I was thinking about the prayers that would be said around many of our tables either before we stuff ourselves or after and how we sometimes call this a time of saying grace. I wondered what that really means since at other times - at least for Christians grace is something that is given, not said.

So I spent some time looking at what grace is really. From the dictionary one of the definitions said: “a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior; mercy, clemency, and pardon” All things that are given. Wikipedia provided a lengthy definition that came from four different theological references; in part it said that grace is the “love and mercy given us by God because God desires us to have it, not because of anything we have done to earn it. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man – generous, free, and totally unexpected and undeserved. Grace is given, not said. I got out my concordance and looked up the words translated as grace in both the Old and New Testaments, all of them in some way indicated that grace is something to receive as a gift, to give as a gift or to act upon in some way.

In this week’s passage Paul is sharing with the Romans how sin came into the world and with it the penalty of death, through one man – Adam and that life was restored through one man – Jesus Christ. That new life that comes from Jesus comes to us in the form of grace – that generous, free, totally unexpected and undeserved gift. Paul has quite a lot to say about grace. In his letter to the Ephesians he writes: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5) and he repeats that sentiment in verses 8-9. In 2 Corinthians Paul essentially says that grace and its ever expanding reach is cause for thanksgiving so abundant that it overflows to glorify God for His wonderfully extravagant gift.

This week whether you are seated at the table of a thanksgiving feast or simply enjoying family and friends with some excellent food and conversation remember to say thanks and to give grace.

A Prayer
Father, thank you for all you have given us – for the food on our tables, for the work you have for us to do and for the marvels of Your creation that we are blessed to enjoy. May we offer the gift of grace to those around us out of the abundant gift that you have given us – giving You all of the glory for it. In the name of Jesus, we pray – Amen.