"Grace Is For the Weak"

  The Hebrew writer reminds us that our heart needs to be strengthened by grace, not by foods (or keeping any food laws). (Heb. 13:9) Strengthened by grace! God's unmerited, undeserving favor toward us, the weak and sinful. Sometimes we know so little about grace though we speak of it. We define grace but seem to miss the point.

  "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16) Our Lord Jesus can help with our weaknesses. He alone knows the pressures and strength it takes to not bend or give into sin but stand in the righteousness of God against the forces of evil. We do not know that. We crumble. We give in too easily. We know well our failures and sense the guilt. We need to know the blood of Jesus is to cleanse us in our conscience from guilt (Heb. 9:14) and the grace is God is for our WEAKNESS!

  There is too much talk about winners from our perspective. We hear how 'Christians are winners!' But what does that do to us? What does talk like this do to God's grace? Being winners makes us strong many times in our own eyes. I know we don't say that openly. We speak our reliance on God but it seems there are those who are on a endless track that because of being a winner tied to God, there is little weakness within. The grace of God is for weakness!! Christianity is for weak people! Salvation is for the helpless and ungodly!

  Jesus taught: "...for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matt. 9:13) "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28) "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." (II Cor. 12:9) Grace is for weakness. Grace isn't for the elite, powerful, successful, positive thinking like there are no problems and why can't you rise up above everything attitude people. Grace is for the weak and ignorant, the unwanted and despised, the down-trodden and helpless. The church is full of such people. Jesus is the Savior of the helpless, suffering and fear-filled person. We fail!! We need mercy for our failure! Sometimes things hit so hard and it seems to push us down into despair while we look to the Lord God for help. His grace is there at those times to help and help it does!

  No wonder we can sing "amazing grace how sweet the sound". His grace is for me, in my weakness and failure. Are you hurting? Draw near with some confidence because Jesus went before you to make atonement, making you holy so you can draw near to the throne of grace and find help in your time of need. That's not me or anything from me. It's all from the grace of God. Maybe we need to pray the Lord forgive us for our personal strength thinking and self-reliance!