When it comes to pride

there are two sides

to the coin

 

One side

is arrogant

self-reliant

bold

 

The other side

is self-depricating

self-loathing

apathetic

 

BOTH are centered on SELF

 

And when it comes to God’s grace

freely given to all

 

Pride sets itself up

against it

 

You either think

you don’t need God

and rely on who you think you are

 

Or you see yourself

as a worthless failure

never able to approach Him

 

Both reject grace

 

missing the point of it

completely

 

and walk away

from God’s extended hand.

 

This need not be

 

Grace draws in

those who would humble themselves

 

before God’s divine,

sacrificial love

 

Grace is free

but you must lay down your pride

and accept it

 

– Susie Stewart

 

Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

– Hebrews 4:16 (AMP)

 

Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

– Ephesians 2:7-10 (MSG)

 

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.

– Romans 11:6 (NLT)

 

And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

– James 4:6 (NLT)

 

Photo by Arik Stewart