A Life Open to Grace

Some people may think of God’s grace as primarily something we receive, but preaching on Ruth’s example in chapter 2, David preached on how we can only receive grace when we are willing to share what we receive. He called this “a life open to grace,” and used the metaphor of a river to explain what he meant:

Jesus says, “Freely you have received; freely give” (Matthew 10:8b), and “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34b). God’s love flows like a river. God’s grace also flows like a river. Like a stagnant water becomes foul, “stagnant grace” is ugly and stinky.  If God’s grace does not flow to others, it overshadows God’s glory, and hinders God’s work. In order to open the gate of God’s grace, we should examine carefully “What I have given to others,” not “What I have received.”