Chuck Stecker

(re-post from Monday, August 18, 2008)

My Personal Devotions this year..in fact for the last few years come from a daily devotional titled, Thoughts From the Diary of A Desperate Man.

The last couple of days the devotions have been on “Grace.”

So here is where I have landed. First without Grace I do not have any chance in this life or the next. It is over. You might say “The outcome was already decided in the opening minutes of the game.” That’s me without grace.

The author of the devotion, Walter Henrichsen, writes “If your relationship with God is based on what you did that others are unwilling to do, then your salvation is in perpetual jeopardy; you cannot have assurance of salvation. For what you did to establish this relationship with God you can undo.” He further states, “Your security is based on your performance not God’s.”

I believe that my only hope for salvation and a relationship with my heavenly Father is solely based on grace.

But here is what hit me hard over the last few days….. Do I want and need more “grace” from God than I am willing to give to others? I do not mean just those rude people who treat me unjustly. I mean with my family and friends and the people I know and care about. Do I want more grace from my wife, Billie than I am willing to give her????? Do I ask for more grace from my own kids than I am willing to give them.

Here it is. Do I say “forgive me” in a casual way with the expectation that all will be forgotten a lot more than I say “I forgive you” in a very sincere way that says I am willing to forget whatever the issue or offense?

In a nut shell, I am willing to give as much grace as I want God to give to me???