While sitting in church service, I was aware that the wheels within the head of the friend who sat beside me were spinning swiftly. Our pastor was speaking on grace sharing the simple truths that we do not deserve it, we cannot earn it, but God loves us so very much that He pours it out upon us. And because of this great love, God provided a way for us to be spared the penalty of death’s eternal pain.

As the final worship song concluded and the stacking of the plush blue chairs began, my friend turned to me with commonly asked, yet profound, questions. She simply desired to know the why of it all.

Why does God love her? Why does He desire to offer her grace? And basically, why does He care?

Grace is defined as the free and unmerited favour of God. In the Greek and Hebrew, both translations of the word refer to God as freely extending Himself, and reaching to people because He is inclined- willing– to be near them.

While trying to carefully choose my words, I attempted to explain to my friend that God loves her because, well, He created her. The love she feels towards her own children is but a glimpse into the depth of the love God feels for His children. He desires to offer her grace because of this Fatherly love and desires to extend Himself so that she may be in His presence. And why does He care? For He is inclined- bent and willing– to be near her.

It is these very truths that are the starting point for each and every soul that craves the identity of being a child of God.

One man sinned, and so death ruled all people because of that one man. But now those people who accept God’s full grace and the great gift of being made right with him will surely have true life and rule through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:17

As one would expect, the questions ceased to end. The wheels had just begun their spinning and would continue to do so as she continues on her journey of faith. But I was surprised when she asked me the biggest ‘why’ that plagued her: why, if she hasn’t been living submitted unto Jesus, was her life so blessed?

Often the world equates blessing with material gain. And I am sure that God has blessed- and blesses- many with things of a material nature just because He can. But careers, money, status, and stuff can all be achieved without God. The world gives such things freely when one makes choices to seek and obtain them. But in God’s kingdom, blessings come in many different shapes and forms. I have encountered many individuals who, on the outside, appear to have little worldly wealth but their character speaks louder to the presence of God than anything they could achieve.

Scripture teaches us that there are attributes Christ will bless us with in abundance if only we are to ask: salvation, grace, divine help, preservation, provision, wisdom, knowledge, and citizenship in heaven. Because of our sin we do not deserve any of these blessings, but God is inclined to be near us. He desires to live in relationship with us. So, He is willing to heed to our cries and calls loving us with a passion so pure it isn’t rational to the human mind.

We will always have questions. There will not always be answers. But Christ has more than enough grace for every question, for every unmet expectation. We do not have to figure it out because the truth is that we will not be able to figure it out. We just have to accept the fact that He accepts us.

Father, your grace is enough. And that’s all that I need. In Jesus name, amen.