We return today to Julia Johnston’s
hymn “Grace Greater Than Our Sin”. As we
continue to alphabetize the various ways we can see grace, we come to the
fourth stanza of this hymn: “Marvelous,
infinite, matchless grace!” For today we
will choose Infinite for the letter “I”.
Infinite grace is quite a grand thought.
The question has been asked by the
world for many ages, “How big is God”.
Philosophers pose the question to ridicule Him. Atheists insist that since He can’t be seen
He must not be big enough to believe.
The hurting want to know if God is big enough to meet their needs. The Bible answers the question with clarity. The psalmist says there is no place we can go
to escape Him. That is just one place we
see His omnipresence. God challenges Job
to match His ability to lay out all the heavens and control the affairs of all
the earth. That is just one place that
teaches His omnipotence. God tells
Isaiah that He knows the end from the beginning. That is just one place that teaches His
omniscience. The answer to the question,
how big is God, is that He is big enough to be all present, all powerful and
all knowing. This is the God of grace.
Grace then is as big as God is. God is infinite in scope. Grace is infinite in scope. There is not a place where God cannot extend
His grace except hell. Those who have
rejected His grace will never have another chance. God has elected to exclude hell from His
grace, but He pours grace out freely so that no one need go to hell. Grace is as infinite as His
omnipresence. There is no need so great
that in omnipotent grace He cannot meet it.
Grace is as infinite as His omnipotence.
There is no need so deep or vague that in omniscient grace He cannot
understand it and care for it. Grace is
as infinite as His omniscience.
Stuart Hamblen’s country classic,
“How Big is God” is a fine way to think of how big God’s grace really is. Hamblen points out that God is big enough to
do everything. God is also “small enough
to live within my heart”. That is where
we find God’s infinite grace so precious, “within my heart.” Sing the praises of God’s infinite grace
today.
The Friday Benediction
Until Monday, my friends, may the
good God envelop you with His grace; may you prove the common confession of
faith, “I believe in the holy Christian church and in the fellowship of the
saints”, and may you be enriched with joy and hope as you exercise that
confession this weekend. Amen
You
may also enjoy this inspirational devotional book, The Gospel According to Molly,
available
here:
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