Grace and Peace to You

September 22^nd, 2020

Isaiah 39:1-41:16

Ephesians 1:1-23

Psalm 66:1-20

Proverbs 23:25-28

 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

When I was growing up, my elementary school was attached to a Church of England church that we would walk to for special religious occasions. Every time we went there for a service, we would turn to those around us and say "peace be with you" as we shook their hand. It is a memory I have that I think fondly of, and I have never experienced that ritual at any other church I've attended on a regular basis.

 

In today's passage in Ephesians, Paul opens by wishing grace and peace to those he's writing to. There are many passages in the Bible that contain this phrase, and often they are in writings/letters. It made me think about how touched I would be to receive a letter starting with that. For someone to truly wish me grace and peace is such a blessing!

 

What is the significance of grace and peace? Grace comes from God our Father. It is the unmerited favor of God, something we do not deserve, but he freely gives it to us because he loves us deeply. Sometimes I think we forget about God's grace. Paul gives everyone a great reminder of this. Some would say we cannot truly experience God's peace without accepting his grace first.

The Hebrew word for peace is one you've probably heard before: "Shalom", which means harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility. What lovely things! Christ is our Prince of Peace, the kind of peace that surpasses understanding. We can live in God's peace and experience completeness as we draw closer to Him.

 

I pray that you would experience firsthand God's grace and Christ's peace as you read this and as you go about your day.