Grace

I've challenged myself lately, to not only bring my life closer to God, but to analyze and understand it all more completely. I do understand however, that never will I completely understand. I am just scratching the surface of my learning, and I can't wait to learn more, and speak more about it.

Over the next few writings, I am going to discuss certain terms or beliefs that I have come across, and either learned, or started to comprehend, or had my eyes opened to the true definition of it. Grace, Faith, Hope, Love, Predestination...etc...tonight, I start with Grace.

I've always heard "through God's grace" or "with the grace of Christ" ...but I've never understood it until recently. Simply, grace is a gift from God. How we choose to use it is up to us. God's grace doesn't work unless we recognize it, and allow ourselves to work in it. Once we have recognized it, worked in it, and allow Him to continue showing us his intentions, we can further enrich ourselves in His grace.

Imagine it this way. The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, The Creation of Man....all world-renowned pieces of art. But, they we're not always art. It took paint, canvas, a brush, effort and time, to create these. This is the same thing as grace. God gives us the tools in the grace He provides us, and it is our job to follow his will in it.

Grace seems to be the first and most simple topic I have deduced and shared so far.

So, I ask you...

What is "Grace" to you?