Welcome, I’m so pleased you dropped by! You never know what I might have for you. What if I was to offer you a Free Gift today? Depends on the gift, you might say, especially if you’re always having to throw out unwanted paraphernalia that usually comes with strings attached from unsolicited companies.

Besides, you don’t know me. Sounds suspicious, right? Nothing is really free, is it?
Everything has a cost and price to pay. How would you react if someone you didn’t know offered you a free gift? Maybe with.. suspicion, derision, hostility, rejection, disbelief, curiosity, intrigue.

Some of you may be tempted by the offer. And if you held it in your hands you might sniff, shake, feel it carefully, look for a label, admire the wrapping and even want to open it to reveal the contents as curiosity got the better of you. Usually a gift indicates that someone has thought about and wants to bless us. For it is only in examining The Gift that we can judge its worth.

Well, you will be relieved to know I don’t have a dodgy free gift to offer you. My poetry and prose are the only gifts I am offering here today. But I can point you to the Greatest Gift that God has to offer us through His Son: free salvation, forgiveness, mercy, grace, restoration, renewal, transformation and healing.

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized that world that He even gave up His only begotten unique Son, so that whoever believes in, trusts in, clings to, relies on Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal everlasting life.” ~ John 3:16 Amplified

In my Introduction to the series of Grace Notes I mentioned that the word ‘grace’ means ‘unmerited favour’ amongst other things. We have all fallen short and missed the mark of the standard God desires for our lives. That’s why we need Jesus.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no-one can boast.” ~ Ephesians 2:9

This is Grace Revealed indeed: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense – as seen in the poem below…

Grace

Light in our darkness
hand clasping hand –
healing, forgiveness
a line in the sand
Suffering and Sorrow
impaled to a cross,
blood flowing freely
our gain – Your loss
Heaven’s gate opened,
for our sin debt You died.
Now given entry
as You’re crucified

Dawn breaking forth
in glorious array.

Tomb standing empty –
Resurrection Day
Risen, ascended,
a New Era starts;
Your Spirit now dwelling
within human hearts
©JoyLenton2012

“I asked Jesus, ‘How much do you love me?’ ‘This much,’ he answered, and he stretched out his arms and died” ~ Anon

We need to decide if, like babes and toddlers when given a present, we show greater interest in the outer wrapping of grace but ignore the wonder of it and remain ignorant of the giver – or do we accept it, receive with gratitude and learn to prize it as the best gift ever?
Yes, it does come with a price to pay. Jesus laid down His life for us and expects us to surrender ours to Him  in return, as a gradual, life-time process. The rewards are enormous.
Dear Father,
As we reflect upon Your grace we are overwhelmed by the great love 
and compassion you have toward us in sending Jesus to die for our sins.
Thank you that He died to give everybody an opportunity to get to know You and experience the abundant life You have planned and long for us to enjoy as we surrender our lives to Him. 
We can only have a limited understanding in this life of the great Divine Exchange. Help us to see more and to fully appreciate the blessings we have in relationship with You as You lead and guide us each day.
Amen