IT HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT ME, BUT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT IT!

 "For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To him, therefore, eternal glory. Amen! "(Romans 11:36)

In a world of merit, receiving grace comes to be considered absurd (Grace: undeserved favor, gift, present). It is from this perspective that we build our life. Until one day we know someone who does the exact opposite: the sinner, the wretch, the poor, the blind and the naked, He offers mercy, love and forgiveness - He offers GRACE! (Ephesians 2: 8-10). This is what God did when He sent His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us and forgive us our sins. How can a righteous man, pure, and holy, die for sinners? And this grace extends day by day upon us.

I see the grace of God in allowing us to live, even when we should be dead. I see the grace of God in giving us abundantly all things, even when we deserved nothing. I see the grace of God being revealed in the purity of a forgiving heart. I see the grace of God in a wife who receives her unfaithful husband back home. I see the grace of God in the mother that regardless of what her son does, she continues to love him always and without measures. I see the grace of God in my life, which allowed me to return to the right path when I could be treading the paths of deception.

It was never about us the question, but it was always about Him. What is evident is His love for us (John 3:16), is what He decides to do for us every day. He offers grace because He is love itself (1 John 4: 8). He does not treat us as we deserve to be treated, on the contrary, He treats us graciously, with much love. On several occasions, feeling unworthy, sinful, flawed, I pondered on the fact that I was serving God by sharing His Word. How could I do anything for Him and for Him, being so unworthy? Then the revelation came to my heart: the question is not my merits, for I do not have them, but their wonderful grace revealed to me, hallelujah!

The whole point is that He decided it was so. He uses the weak to confuse the strong. He uses the "nothingness" to show his greatness. After all, He is God, and who will contend with Him? May God help us to receive His grace, and to offer others the same grace. May He help us to understand once and for all that no matter how hard we try, we will never be too good to receive anything from you. We have received something from Him because He is always very good, merciful, compassionate and gracious. Everything comes from Him and returns to Him. Everything is about Him, hallelujah!

With love,

Andréia Rocha S. Arruda.