Outrageous Grace Every Day
Where is the outrageous grace of God seen today? Steph suggests that a deep dive into the wonderful book of Romans is a great place to find God’s grace.
Where have you seen God’s grace at work? We would love to hear from you. Share your comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Gracious Behaviour
Look around you. In your home. Your workplace. Your community. Even social media. Especially social media.
Do you witness gracious behaviour?
God’s Grace
Even as Christians, we don’t necessarily build a bridge between God’s grace and our call to be gracious with one another—and unbelievers.
Does that mean we go along with everything that gets said and done? Of course not.
Does that mean we have license to be hurtful, even hateful, toward others? No.
Do we have a lot to learn about grace and being gracious? Absolutely.
Evidences of God’s Grace
The Bible overflows with evidences of God’s grace and the importance of loving God and those He brings into our life.
If you want to take a deep dive into what biblical grace really looks like, Paul’s letter to the Romans is a great place to start.
With that in mind, just why might you want to use Mary DeMuth’s devotional on the book of Romans, Outrageous Grace Every Day?
Outrageous Grace Every Day
Listen to the first few paragraphs:
I must admit: I have been scared to start this book. Though I’ve done plenty of preparation and praying, I am one of those souls quite intimidated by the book of Romans. It’s thick and rich and long and multilayered. Who am I to shepherd you through it? What I can say is this: I am a worshipper of the God who tenaciously pursued me—a sin-scarred child rescued by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and a grateful recipient of the hope the Holy Spirit has given me.
While I consulted scholars and commentaries aplenty to better understand the nuances and intent of Paul’s letter to the Romans, I first did something different. While praying about the writing, I sensed God asking me to read the entire book of Romans, all sixteen chapters, every day for three months. One day of reading for every day of this devotional. In that repetitive immersion, themes began to appear. I started feeling the rhythm of Paul’s words and immersed myself in the grand story he recounted.
My husband and I have been using this book as our devotional for the past month.
The Outrageous Grace God Poured Out
Each day includes a brief reading from the book of Romans, an examination of the grace God has poured out on us, and a prayer.
Day 27’s reading begins this way: What powerful words smashed together: undeserved privilege. They so perfectly capture what it means to be a Christ follower. We are the recipients of divine grace, the beneficiaries of a gift that cannot be earned. We have been made right, though we’ve been wrong and have wronged others and a holy God.
What a powerful reminder of this “undeserved privilege”!
As Christians, we talk a lot about God’s grace, but do we really take the time to dwell on just what that means?
The Immenseness of God’s Grace
Each devotional, including the Bible reading, takes approximately five minutes to read. It would be easy to rush right passed the immenseness of this grace, the outrageousness of it all. But if we take time to truly meditate on it, it will transform our lives—no matter how long we’ve been followers of Jesus.
While I’m not reading all sixteen chapters each day, I am listening to the chapter we’re reading any given day. By listening to the same chapter day after day, I have the opportunity to let it really sink in. (Most Bible apps have an audio option. I am so thankful for the Cyber Age!)
Pray Every Day
Mary DeMuth publishes a short podcast daily called “Pray Every Day.” She reads a few verses of scripture and then prays through them. Her prayers are genuine and heartfelt. She doesn’t edit them to remove the “imperfections.” She is having a conversation with her beloved heavenly Father—and we get to listen and pray along with her.
The prayers the author includes in Outrageous Grace Every Day are very much like that, although they are, of course, more polished and succinct. Still, they overflow with emotion; they’re real.
Also from Day 27 …
Father, wow. Thank you. In the midst of my current trial, I pray that you would empower me to endure with joy. I long to have this current struggle produce strength of character. In other words, I want to endure this trial better than I did the last trial. I want to trust you more and have less anxiety and more belief. And you promise that the result of all this is hope. I could use a deeper experience of biblical hope today. Amen.
Soak It In
As I’ve written this review, God has been challenging me to truly soak in the richness of this study. Instead of trying to accomplish something else while the narrator is reading the day’s chapter from Romans, I am going to sit back, close my eyes, and really concentrate on what I’m hearing.
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As we give our full attention to God and His Word, our lives will be transformed, we will gain deeper insight than we’ve ever had before, and God’s grace will lead us to living a more gracious, God-honouring, others-blessing life.
Steph Nickel
Stephanie is a freelance writer and a contributor to our Christian internet radio station, HopeStreamRadio.
Read and hear more from Steph Nickel on the contributor’s page or at Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests.
Stephanie’s show, “Family Life Lessons,” airs from Monday to Friday on HopeStreamRadio.
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