Just two paragraphs into the book, Andy says, “When we are on the receiving end, grace is refreshing. When it is required of us, it is often disturbing. But when correctly applied, it seems to solve just about everything.”
Grace is often one of those elusive “Christian words” that we hear and use all the time, but whose meaning seems to depend on which end of Christianity we are a part of. One of the biggest misconceptions about grace that many Christians make is that they assume that it is just a New Testament concept. This could not be further from the truth, as Andy shows us. God’s grace is found in Genesis and continues all the way through to Revelation.
Andy Stanley is one of our generation’s great communicators. In this book, he tells the story of God’s grace in a very readable way. He doesn’t use theological terms and doesn’t provide lists of principles. Instead, Andy writes about how the grace of God was seen in the lives of real people. God has been in the grace business since the beginning of time. Grace is an integral part of God’s nature.
“God’s response to the thirsty soul is grace. We would prefer time travel. Second chances. Do overs. But God opts for sustaining grace. Grace that leverages the past for a better future. Gract that fills the gaps created by our sin or the sin of others. Grace that allows us to honestly face and carry our pasts but without being controlled by them. Grace that makes deninal unnecessary.”
Make The Grace of God part of your Summer Reading Plan. You will be glad you did. I am getting ready to read it again!
Would you like to help Annie and I have an impact in Brazil? Here is the link. Obrigado! (Thank you!)
