Grace Upon Grace

For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].  John 1:16

Growing up in a family of plumbers I learned something about water early on, it always seeks the lowest level and flows downward. Every time I read this verse, I think, grace is like water. It always flows over us especially when we feel we don’t deserve it. And it refreshes, restores and reminds us all our sin, guilt, shame and condemnation have been washed away.

Here grace upon grace in the Greek describes a continuous flow, replacing itself over and over, just like waves upon the ocean and shore. Whether we are on a mountain, just like a clear, clean, refreshing stream that brings life giving water to it’s path and everything it touches, so grace flows out of us with encouragement and hope that enriches us and influences others. But it’s also like the stream once it gets to the valley, it brings comfort and hope to restore us when we’re at our lowest point. Still doing what it does best, bring life into every situation and circumstance.

So whether you’re on the mountain top, or low in the valley, just remember His grace is there reminding you it’s not about anything you did or haven’t done, it’s about remembering He did it all. We can rest soundly in knowing how much He loves us and how powerful His grace is to His children. And even when we don’t feel it or see it, we can be assured it’s there working to help transform us into the person He always created us to be.