Grace, what is it?  It’s a word we throw around quite a bit in our Christian verbiage. A quick google search will give you this definition: Grace is God’s unmerited favor. It is kindness from God we don’t deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God.

And there is even a acronym to help kids understand what grace is: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

And in Hebrews it even tells us that we can draw near to that grace with confidence: Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

So what does it mean to me today to “draw near to the throne of grace”? What does grace look like in my “time of need”?  Grace, gives me the courage and strength I need to go on when it feels like I can’t do this for one more day. Grace, helps me to believe the promises of God even when doubts and questions threaten to fill my mind with unbelief. Grace causes me to look to God’s word for rest and comfort when the voices around me and inside me try to convince me God cannot be trusted. Grace gives me the desire to sing God’s praises when I want to shout from the roof that He is not a good and loving God. Grace preserves my faith, when I want to walk away and denounce all that I have believed. Grace can generate joy in the midst of my greatest sorrow. Grace enables me to endure the loneliness, the missing, and the daily reminders of loss everywhere I turn. Grace keeps me believing that God is good and that He loves me. Oh, grace, grace, grace…I need your sustaining power, day by day, moment by moment, breath by breath!

It is God’s grace that gives me hope when I am tempted to hopelessness…grateful for grace today!