Right from the very start – gifts given and flowing from our beloved Father. “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:2. Grace and peace, two sought-after, treasured, priceless gifts. Make no mistake, these two gifts can only come from the Father and our precious Savior. Grace is the unmerited favor of God, which He lavishes upon you, not expecting anything in return. Wow – doesn’t that make you stop and think? God pours out His grace upon you, and you don’t have to do a thing!
I simply have to include this quote by F. B. Meyer because it is so beautiful and captures the essence of grace and peace! Read it slowly, let it sink in… “Grace to help in our times of need; Peace to keep our heart and mind. The one as the blue vault of Heaven above us, with its smile of sun, and breath of air, and reviving rain; the other as the blue depths of the ocean, tranquil and calm. But neither of these blessed gifts can be ours till we have come to recognise God as our Father. Be doubtful about that, and you will not dare to exercise the child’s privilege of claiming what you want from the Father’s stores; and you will miss the unspeakable rest which breathes through the heart of the child, as it nestles to the father’s side. Open your heart to the Spirit of Adoption that He may flutter, dove-like, into its depths; and, in the cry Abba, bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God, and if a child, then a participator in His Grace and Peace.”
We are His children, and just as mine reach into my fridge anytime they want to and partake of the food within, so can we claim what we need from our Father’s storehouse. We are His children, His girls; that is who we are. That is the core of our identity. We can nestle close to the side of our Father and breathe in His peace. Here we are, Saints in Christ Jesus and children of the Living God, full of grace and peace.
When I was a little girl, I was baptized into the Methodist church, and I will never forget Reverend Ken Mew speaking this blessing over me in his soothing voice. “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26. And I still love hearing that blessing to this day. Here again, we see grace and peace. Grace first, peace flowing from His grace. Peace is always built on the foundation of His grace, His loving-kindness, His bountiful favor. That gift from our Perfect Savior that requires nothing in return. ‘Oh, what a Savior, isn’t He wonderful!’
Reflections
- Grace is described as the unmerited favor of God—freely and abundantly poured out upon you, with nothing asked for in return. Are there things in your life that make it difficult for you to receive the Father’s grace without feeling the need to earn it? In what ways might that affect your relationship with God?
- This devotion highlights our identity as a daughter of God—able to come to the Father’s storehouse, taking what we need. Are there ways you live like His beloved daughter who has total access to the Father, and where do you still hesitate, afraid to come boldly into His presence?
- Peace is always built on the foundation of God’s grace. How have you experienced peace when you simply rested in God’s grace, and how might your life change if you anchored your peace in His grace all the time?
Step-By-Step
Today, instead of striving, intentionally receive from the Father. Take five minutes to sit with the LORD and quietly pray, “Abba Father, I receive Your grace and Your peace as Your beloved daughter.” Write down one area where you have been trying to earn God’s favor, and then give that over to to Him. Let His peace settle upon you as you rest in being His child.
Claire's Prayer 