I wrote two weeks ago of my longing for grace toward myself. As I grow in my understanding of grace as God uses the term and then grow in my conviction of my need to extend that grace unconditionally to others in my life, I long deeply for someone to extend that same grace to me. Who will bear long with me? Who will endure with me? God whispers in my ear through His Word, “I will. I love you and endure with you unconditionally. I extend you this grace.”
The nature of this grace is interesting. It is sufficient, but it is sufficient like the daily manna from heaven was sufficient for the Israelites in the wilderness. I’d rather the Holy Spirit extend me a one time, overwhelmingly big grace that lasts forever. And there is a sense in which He has done that through Christ’s sacrifice for me, but there is also a daily grace God gives, and it is metered out like the manna.
Exodus 16:21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
The manna was gathered daily, and it lasted a single day. And then they went out the next day and gathered anew, except in preparation for the Sabbath, in which they were able to gather for two days. The manna was a physical picture of their dependence on God, and it accurately reflects the nature of God’s daily grace. I’d rather be completely rescued from my sin, others’ sin, my suffering, and others’ suffering. Instead God daily gives me sufficient grace for the needs of the moment. I know this from experience as well as from Scripture. I have at many turns in life felt overwhelmed and at the end of my rope. As Paul says in 2 Cor. 4, I have felt afflicted, perplexed, and struck down. But I get up the next morning after crying out to the Lord during the night and see that I too, like Paul, was not crushed, forsaken, or destroyed.
The difference in being struck down and destroyed is profound. The final evidence of the difference is simply that we get back up. Why can we get back up after circumstances and emotions that would seem to destroy us? Because God gives grace. We can endure things we know should crush us. We can hope through things we know should devastate us. And we continue in faith despite things that seem to snatch it from us. It’s all because of grace.
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
This daily, manna-like grace is clearly tied to God’s throne of grace. Our access to this throne is a key facet to the truths contained in that 6 letter word, gospel. We have access to God now. Christ’s death caused the veil that stood between us and God to be torn from top to bottom. And now we can freely enter His presence.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Draw near, friend. Daily. Don’t despair when you must draw near again a mere 24 hours after the last time you felt fed and satisfied. That is the very nature of this grace and this relationship with the Father who provides it. This grace has a single source—our relationship with God through the indwelling Spirit who reveals Himself through the Word. And we need to feast on it daily.
1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
