When Grace became Potent
“..we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia … see that you abound in this grace also.” 2 Corinthians 8:1,7
Examples always inspire, especially of those who seem to rise above their limitations. Paul is lifting the relatively poor Macedonian church as an example to the relatively affluent Corinthian church, and describes their extraordinary giving in a statement that I suspect has never been equaled in the use of so many opposites in one sentence and still make complete sense. Trial, affliction, deep poverty - joy, abundance, riches, liberality – all describing the Macedonian church! Paul says that this church gave what they were naturally able to give, but were willing and even gave “beyond their ability”. And that is remarkable.
How does one “in deep poverty abound in riches of their liberality”? How does one give “beyond their ability”? Was it some latent ability that they just were not aware of, and a good inspirational sermon acted as a catalyst allowing an expression of this generosity? Or, was it a supernatural act of God that made the impossible, possible? Paul answers this for us. He explains that it is the supernatural grace of God.
The example of the Macedonian church is simply parenthetical, an illustration to this supernatural grace. He begins with saying “we make known to you the grace of God …” and ends with the appeal to the Corinthians to “abound in this grace also”. Between the two statements is sandwiched an example of the working of this supernatural grace of “giving beyond ability” and “abounding in liberality in the midst of poverty” in the Macedonian church
I say all this to emphasize something that we seem to have lost in the modern age. One of the words that has lost its potency is the word grace. We often think of grace as simply a “favor” or “approval” of God. We think of grace as passive. In the Old Testament it is mostly referred to as a passive favor or approval.
But something happened to grace! Grace embodied itself in flesh when God penetrated the fabric of humanity, and revealed Himself. John, talking about Jesus tells us that the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth … and of His fullness we have all received grace for grace.” In other words, grace became potent.
Grace is not simply the passive approval of God, but the active power of God in us. It enables us to do what we could not otherwise do, not only in the matter of material generosity, but in the generosity of love, forgiveness, selflessness and sacrifice. It is not simply grace that is received and cherished, it is grace that is received, and abounds, and then impels us to do what would be otherwise impossible.
Are you facing an impossible circumstance? Is there a limitation that you battle? A betrayal impossible to forget and forgive? A hurt and a wound too deep to heal? May I point you to the One who made the grace of God potent. The grace of God that is not just passive, but an active power that enables you to do that which is otherwise impossible.
Danesh Manik
Examples always inspire, especially of those who seem to rise above their limitations. Paul is lifting the relatively poor Macedonian church as an example to the relatively affluent Corinthian church, and describes their extraordinary giving in a statement that I suspect has never been equaled in the use of so many opposites in one sentence and still make complete sense. Trial, affliction, deep poverty - joy, abundance, riches, liberality – all describing the Macedonian church! Paul says that this church gave what they were naturally able to give, but were willing and even gave “beyond their ability”. And that is remarkable.
How does one “in deep poverty abound in riches of their liberality”? How does one give “beyond their ability”? Was it some latent ability that they just were not aware of, and a good inspirational sermon acted as a catalyst allowing an expression of this generosity? Or, was it a supernatural act of God that made the impossible, possible? Paul answers this for us. He explains that it is the supernatural grace of God.
The example of the Macedonian church is simply parenthetical, an illustration to this supernatural grace. He begins with saying “we make known to you the grace of God …” and ends with the appeal to the Corinthians to “abound in this grace also”. Between the two statements is sandwiched an example of the working of this supernatural grace of “giving beyond ability” and “abounding in liberality in the midst of poverty” in the Macedonian church
I say all this to emphasize something that we seem to have lost in the modern age. One of the words that has lost its potency is the word grace. We often think of grace as simply a “favor” or “approval” of God. We think of grace as passive. In the Old Testament it is mostly referred to as a passive favor or approval.
But something happened to grace! Grace embodied itself in flesh when God penetrated the fabric of humanity, and revealed Himself. John, talking about Jesus tells us that the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth … and of His fullness we have all received grace for grace.” In other words, grace became potent.
Grace is not simply the passive approval of God, but the active power of God in us. It enables us to do what we could not otherwise do, not only in the matter of material generosity, but in the generosity of love, forgiveness, selflessness and sacrifice. It is not simply grace that is received and cherished, it is grace that is received, and abounds, and then impels us to do what would be otherwise impossible.
Are you facing an impossible circumstance? Is there a limitation that you battle? A betrayal impossible to forget and forgive? A hurt and a wound too deep to heal? May I point you to the One who made the grace of God potent. The grace of God that is not just passive, but an active power that enables you to do that which is otherwise impossible.
Danesh Manik
posted by Danesh Manik | 9:08 AM
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