Summer Fruit Devotion: Peace Day 4

Grace & Peace

“Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
-Romans 1:7
-1 Corinthians 1:3
-2 Corinthians 1:2
-Galatians 1:3
-Ephesians 1:2
-Philippians 1:2
-Colossians 1:2
-1 Thessalonians 1:1
-2 Thessalonians 1:2
-1 Timothy 1:2 (grace, mercy and peace)
-2 Timothy 1:2 (grace, mercy and peace)
-Titus 1:4 (grace, mercy and peace)
-Philemon 1:3
-1 Peter 1:2
-2 Peter 1:2
-2 John 1:3
“Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.”
-Revelation 1:4

I’m having a hard time wrangling my thoughts about how amazing and intertwined grace and peace are in the life of believers. Paul, Peter, and John, who wrote all these letters to all these churches and fellow servants were really emphasizing grace and peace to set the tone for all their communications. It was a reminder right off the bat that God has given us unmerited grace to cover our sins through Jesus, and that we have peace with God through Jesus. All these letters carried various instructions for our Christian lives, but the entryway, the gate we walk through, is the grace and peace of God and Jesus. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. God gives it freely. Imagine if every time you spoke to your spouse or kids or coworkers or parents you began the conversation like these apostles did, with grace and peace from God and Jesus. How would that change what we say and how we say it? How would that change how we repent and submit to God’s will? If God’s will for my life is grace and peace why do I so often walk around in shame and anxiety? Let’s let grace and peace change our tune and be always in our hearts and on our lips.

Journal time. Meditate on the apostles’ greeting and write down your honest thoughts about how grace and peace from God and Jesus have impacted your life. Write your own prayer of thanksgiving to God for grace and peace.

Pray with me today. Heavenly Father, you are so holy and good and righteous. We don’t understand why you reach down and save any of us. You have every right to cast us away, but instead you bring us near with your grace, you’ve made peace with us through Jesus. My heart swells with gratefulness. In those times when I’m overwhelmed with shame and anxiety help me to remember your grace and peace. Thank you for your Word, that records this beautiful encouragement written by your Apostles. Help my words to be washed in your grace and peace so that I can encourage and build up others. In the grace and peace of Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.