Undeserved Grace

The concept of grace is often confusing.

Grace is given not earned.

It is given freely despite of who we are, what we have done, where we have been, or how we have lived.

Grace is the expression of the Father of the prodigal son. He hurt the Father. He left the Father. He disowned the Father. He was selfish, greedy, shortsighted about life but the Father accepted him back. He got his status back; from a homeless, pathetic nobody to the son. An heir of the Father's heritage.

I have been the prodigal. Maybe you have too. We do not deserve grace. We do not deserve acceptance. We do not deserve a good life. But still, the Father wants to give us all that.

Jesus died for our sins and he freely gives us a new life. For some, overwhelmed with Jesus' love, come to accept this grace and walk towards living the life of a Son. For others, we find it hard to accept this gift at all.

The guilt, the shame, the unworthy feeling keep haunting. Who am I? What is the deal with me? Why am I so lucky? are some questions that stuck in our mind. We could not believe that this is happening. Someone wanted to give us a new life. What have I done to deserve all that? I did not do anything.

Grace found us but we refuse to accept. We know that there is new life out there; a better life, a nice one, but we simple cannot get our head into the concept of free gift. We believe that it should be earned with hard work, right living, and pure virtues so we strive to do all the right things.

Then we find it hard to do all that. To be right and pure. To be Jesus' son. It is freaking difficult. So much rules, so much details, so much to ask. In no time, we realize that we are not moving anywhere.

Grace is the key. As we accept the new life that Christ has prepared for us, we accept his power to change us and enable us to do his detailed commands. Without his power, we do not deserve anything of the Kingdom. We would still have the mentality of the swine keeper, and the greed, and the selfish spirit.

You deserve the grace of God. So come. As shameful as you could be, come and receive the gift. Why hesitate? Jesus wants to hug you, shower you with love, and give you your old status back: the Father's son.

Take the first step. Think of the good things you could have had at home. Think of warm meal, shelter, sweet company and music. Think of going back to the Father. Go. Go back. Don't be stone-headed. Say sorry. Ask for second chance. His grace would stay.

Not by your might, not by your power, but by the Spirit of God.