When I heard the sound of breaking glass, I turned to see that my granddaughter had accidentally dropped the Christmas ornament onto the garage floor. As her sister shouted her name, I saw her face turn red and her eyes begin to water; I knew I had to say something. “I’m sorry, I thought that ornament was plastic; I guess it wasn’t. Don’t worry; I bought it at the thrift store. We’ll have to go shopping to find another. You can help me pick one out, OK?” She said, “OK,” as her beautiful smile returned to her face.
I can’t tell you how much I’m grateful to God for this incident. Why? Because it revealed how much God had changed my heart through his endless grace. As an inexperienced, know-it-all young father, I would have been more critical than caring. Arogantly, I thought a word of discipline was needed instead of a word of loving devotion. I was such a narrow-minded man.
Fast forward to today, because God has shown me an unimaginable abundance of grace, I saw my granddaughter’s accident through the eyes of grace. God’s grace, and because of his work in my heart, I couldn’t bear to let her feel guilty for her mistake any longer. So guided by his wisdom, we turned the mistake into a shopping adventure, which every granddaughter loves to do, especially if Grand Dad brings his wallet.
God’s grace to me is a gift, a never-ending, heart-felt, soul-changing, unmerited favor that I didn’t earn and don’t deserve. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
It’s the ongoing work of God’s grace that transforms us into the beloved sons and daughters we were created to be. Grace transforms what I believe and how I see, hear, feel, think and speak. Grace teaches me how to learn, live and love with the new heart God has given me. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
Because of the work of God’s grace in my heart, it opened my eyes to see my granddaughter through God’s eyes, turning a mishap into a memorable moment. Isn’t that just like our Heavenly Father, turning our mishaps into memorable moments of grace?
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