By grace alone

 

And it struck me, as if for the first time.  But for grace, I wouldn't have been here.

God could have struck us sinful people of the face of the earth, but He didn't.  He decided to keep us.  He could have never sent His Son to make a way back to Him, but He did.  He didn't have to. 

God could have placed me in a home where intellectualism would defy the Creator of the Universe.  He could have, but He didn't.

God could have let me born in a place where another god was said to be god and I would never have heard the sweet name of Jesus.  He could have, but He didn't.

God could have let me be born in a place where I was never allowed to read a Bible, would have been prosecuted for speaking about Jesus and fear for my life in a war torn world, but He didn't.

He could have had me be born in a family where the widespread abuse of us as children, could have left deep scars for life.  He didn't have to give me a family that knows and loves God.  He didn't have to give me a mother and father that stay on their knees carrying their children, but He did.

God didn't have to reveal Himself to us in nature. He could have made the world ugly, we had no right to expect more.  He could have, but He didn't.

God could have kept quiet, not let His Spirit dwell in us, who are weak and sinful and so feeble in our feelings.  But He didn't.

God could have left me and forsaken me.  He could have let me keep on sinning and being an abomination in His eyes, but He saved me, He loved me.  He didn't have to, but He did.

God could have had me born blind, or deaf, or different-abled.  And I would have missed a part of His wonderful world.  He could have, but he didn't.

God could have never sent His Son, to die on a cross for us, me and you.  He could have never been born in a manger, and never experienced what it was like to be human, and never have known fear, and hatred, and loneliness.  He could have just stayed in perfect trinity and never have known what it feels like to feel abandoned by God.  He could have turned around at the cross and said it was too hard.  He could have gone to hell and after all the rejection and deception and denounciation, decided we were just not worth it, he could have done so many other things that would have left us lost and forgotten and unsaved.  He could have, but He didn't.

And then it strikes me.  And I crumble and I cry.  Here I am - by grace - by the unmerited favour of God.  I am loved and forgiven and released and free.  God didn't have to save me for I definitely did not deserve it.  But He did.  And that is glorious grace.