I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much
I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy
I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy
Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...
Because grace is the only thing that transforms us, and since grace is only given to the humble, the only way to move forward in our Christian walk is by humbling ourselves. In order to receive new grace into our lives which leads to new growth, there must be a fresh kneeling at the foot of the cross. This is one reason it is good to have a problem we are unable to solve on our own. when a problem is beyond our limits, we have to humble ourselves and go to others for help. This opens the door to new grace (Jas 4:10).
Grace is given in time of need. Therefore, the ones who passed through the most difficulties and have met God, in them possess the most grace in their lives. A painful situation is an opportunity for life-changing grace. We can choose to open or close our vessel to grace.
It is within the power of our choice to receive or reject grace. When we are injured, immediately we are faced with a decision. We may harden our hearts and reject grace, or we may cry out to God for His grace to sustain us in our time of trouble. His grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9) but if we harden our hearts, the flow of grace is stopped and bitterness sets in (Heb 12:15). It is like putting a lid on our vessel, prohibiting the inpouring of grace. Therefore, we should keep our vessel open at all times to the wonderful riches of God's grace. The only time we should close our vessel is when there is plague or death in the air (i.e. gossip, false doctrine; see Numb 19:14-15).
Paul kept this vessel open to God and accumulated an enormous amount of grace as the years passed (1 Tim 1:12,14). As grace is constantly poured into our lives day by day, we amass what Paul described as "abundance of grace" (Rom 5:17). Abundance of grace is required to reign in this life and in the age to come. Scripture mentions 3 levels of grace: sufficient grace - enough to get us through (2 Cor 12:9), abundance of grace - to reign in life (Rom 5:17), and exceeding abundant grace - to utterly transform us and make us more than conquerors (1 Tim 1:13-14).
"Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (Gen 6:8). Others did not! Yet God has no favourites. Why do some receive grace but not others? It depends on the attitude. God gives grace to the humble but He resists the proud. Thus, our attitude determines how much grace we receive (Isa 57:15).
