Grace: A Central Message of the Christian faith. The apostle Paul experienced grace in such a dramatic way that it transformed his entire life. Before he was Paul, the apostle, church planter, and writer, was Saul, a religious fanatic, full of hatred and violence, who persecuted Christians and supported them when they stoned Stephen, without lifting a finger, watching as stones rained down on Jesus' loyal supporter. But when Saul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus, a radical transformation takes place in him. Grace knocks him down that day and he never recovers from its shock.

After discovering true grace in the face of Jesus, Saul, now Paul, spends the rest of his days proclaiming the message of grace. A grace that wells up and overflows from him at every moment, permeating his life, his message, and his mission. Grace is the best thing Paul can wish for us, because grace is the best thing he himself received.

Would you like grace to overflow into your life like this?

Sometimes, the message of grace doesn't completely transform us because we find it hard to believe. The news is too good for us, or our past seems too bad.

Like Paul, the writer Brennan Manning experienced a complete transformation through grace, which marked his life. Having suffered from alcoholism and becoming homeless, Manning finally allowed grace to transform him forever. In his "Ragamuffin Gospel" he asks this revealing question:

"Do you believe that God loves you regardless of whether you are worthy or unworthy, faithful or unfaithful; who loves you in the morning sun and in the afternoon rain; Who loves you when your intellect denies it, your emotions refuse it, and your whole being rejects it? Do you believe that God loves unconditionally and unreservedly, and loves you right now as you are and not as you should be?"

God is not averse to showing us His grace. In today's passage we read that he "lavished" his grace on us. In other passages we have seen him run to meet us, even when we have been far away.

"I believe in the forgiveness of sins" is a phrase mentioned by C.S. Lewis at a time when the truth of grace overwhelmed him to the depths of his being: "This truth appeared in my mind with such a clear light that I perceived that I had never before believed it with all my heart."

What would it mean to you today to believe in grace wholeheartedly?

Grace has the power to rewrite your story. Open wide the windows of your heart and let the light of grace illuminate you today and always.

Suggested Prayer: Precious Lord Jesus, thank you so much for the transforming power of your grace. Where there is death, you bring life, where there is drought, you bring rivers of living water. I know that many times I have been like Saul, closed to the truth and blind to your love, but today, I decide to surrender myself to you, and open myself to the power of your transforming grace. Open my spiritual eyes, form my heart, and renew my mind to be an instrument of your grace and peace. In Jesus' name, Amen.

1. Ephesians 1:4-8 (NVI).

Today's Encounter was written by: Rosina N.