Give A Greeting of Grace

Philippians 1:2

² Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Most of the Apostle Paul’s letters begin and/or end with the word “grace”. We know that Paul is the Apostle of Grace. He knew what grace meant in his life. He knew it was God’s love and grace that transformed him, not the law.

As I read this chapter I couldn’t get past his greeting of grace to the believers. It’s an even better greeting than what we often hear in the south of “‘ya doing okay?” The southern greeting could have you center only on the things that come against your life; in other words, ‘ya doing okay through all the trials and troubles? The question really doesn’t offer any spiritual input. But the greeting Paul gives us allows our mind to ponder on God’s goodness to us.

God’s grace revolutionized Paul’s life, and he desired that believers walk in this same grace that he knew and experienced. It isn’t grace just for your salvation—being saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. That’s just one aspect of God’s immense abundance. Jesus’ finished work on the Cross ushered you and I into the overflowing, abounding grace—unmerited favor, blessing, fullness of God, and so much more. As Joseph Prince says, “God doesn’t want you to take just a pinch of His grace once in a while. No, He wants you to take an abundance of it every single day for every single situation.” You can take an abundance of His grace for yourself every day by focusing on what Jesus has purchased for you with His life. The more you do, the more you’ll have to give away.

What better greeting to give someone than God’s grace—God’s declaration of favor upon them. The declaration of God’s unending love for them; that He’s not mad at them. It’s time to give grace to those you meet both in the household of faith and those who are not yet included. It may just be what they need to hear so they can reach out to the God who loves them unconditionally and has good things for them.

The next opportunity you have, start by pronouncing God’s blessings of grace and peace on people.

Grace and peace to you.