“If you want something, you have to work hard and earn it.” These words have been spoken over so many; they have passed through so many lips, and have sunken into a deep part of all of us. It’s instilled in most people that if you want something, you can work hard and earn it.

And for most things, this reigns true. If you want the little league trophy, work hard at practice. If you want a great GPA, then put in the work and study hard. If you want the promotion… you get the idea. The list goes on and on because this way of thinking is true of so many things.

But it could not be more wrong when describing the truth of the gospel and the grace so freely given through Jesus Christ.

Because the gift of grace is exactly that: a gift. Given freely with complete sacrificial abandon and a love so strong we can’t wrap our minds around it. There is nothing we could ever do, say, or think that would earn us this gift. It was simply given to us in the most pure show of love in history. We need not do anything but fall to our knees with arms wide open, ready to receive this gift like fresh air in our lungs.

But what is this awesome ‘grace’ thing? Grace is the forgiveness, mercy, and love of the Lord that we get to live in every single day. We wake up sinning, and He shows grace anyway. Grace is when Jesus Christ took the weight of man’s sin for all of time; past, present and future, to the cross, and buried them there.

He rose victorious, defeating death and sin for all time and there is nothing you can do to change that! There is no checklist, no act, no to-do’s, nothing that you can do to earn His gift.

So stop trying. It doesn’t work like that. This is quite possibly the only thing that you literally cannot earn. Instead, take a deep breath and say ‘yes’ to the greatest gift. Open your arms and heart wide to the beauty and grace so freely given to you. After all, there’s no time like the present.

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all of His people.” - Titus 2:11