GOD IS GRACIOUS

“Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful” – Psalm 116:5

Along with being Merciful, GOD IS GRACIOUS: “The LORD is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness” (Psa.145:8). “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful” (Psa.116:5). To be gracious means: ‘to show kindnesses’ to the undeserving and ‘to be compassionate.’ Like Mercy, Grace is another attribute that flows from the manifold Love of God. This implies that God deals with His people not on the basis of our merit, worthiness or what we deserve, but on the basis of His goodness and generosity. In the Old Testament, this adjective consistently applies to God, indicative of His compassion, long-suffering and general inclination of favour and kindness. His Mercy and Grace are inseparable: “Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you; and therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you” (Isa.30:18).

God is gracious because HE IS LOVE: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for GOD IS LOVE” (1Jh.4:7-8).  It is His character to love even if love is not returned to Him. He blesses us with good things because of His goodness. He extends favour, mercy, and kindness on whoever He pleases because of who He is. Also, God is gracious because He is our Creator. Even when we don’t acknowledge or worship Him, He still endows us with good things because He wants to bless His creatures. God created humankind as very good: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Gen.1:31a). He will never turn His back on His creation.

The Nature of His Grace: God is gracious like a parent who gives good things to his or her children in order to nurture them. Genuine parents provide shelter, food, and clothing, knowing that these are necessary for the well-being of their children. They also give them gifts from hearts of love. God does the same thing and much more. He has provided everything for humanity’s growth and prosperity. He goes beyond just subsistence. He personalizes each and every gift; He does this even when we don’t recognize or deserve it. We have received the Grace of God through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on the cross: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding” (Eph.1:7).

The Timing of His Grace: God is gracious all the time, even when we are disobedient to Him. It is His character to be gracious and in Him “there is no variation or shadow of turning” (Jam.1:17). God does not change like the shifting shadows! He extends His grace and mercy to us until the final moment of our lives. It is by God’s grace that we have eternal life. He had so much compassion on humanity that He sent His only Son to die for the disobedience of all. He wants none to perish because He created us to live in eternity with Him. Not by works of righteousness, but by His Grace alone: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph.2:8-9).

God is gracious in our times of need. Psalm 116 reveals the provisions of His Grace. Because God is gracious, I am preserved and lifted from depression (v.6). My rest is restored as He deals bountifully with me (v.7). He delivers my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling (v.8). Therefore, I choose to extend God’s grace to those who are in need, by extending my hands on His behalf; helping others to find peace, comfort, and strength in times when desperation threatens to overwhelm them. This is the response that God desires us to have for His being gracious. How willing are you to show God’s grace to the rest of creation?