Grace = a better life now!

There's a great bible verse in 2 Corinthians that contains a quote from Jesus that says my grace is sufficient for you.  I've got to be honest though.  Some days it sure doesn't feel like it.  Some days I'm not sure if God's grace really is enough.  Some days I want God's grace and some kind of assurance for the future. Some days I want to know that it's all going to work out ok, and by ok I mean the way I have dreamed up in my head. 

But that's not what this verse says.  It says that his grace, and his grace alone is enough.  Yesterday we said that grace was getting the good we don't deserve, so what good have you been receiving?  A really cool thing happened yesterday that reminded me that God's grace isn't just an eternal life insurance policy that grants me heaven.  God's grace actually affects me today, that's why his grace is simply enough. 

Yesterday I went to a local home improvement store to help my grandpa get new locks for house.  I picked up the locks I thought he would like and took them to the counter.  I really don't like the self-check lanes at stores because they put hard working people out of a job, so I went to the only line open.  This gave me a chance to meet a man who would show me a better life.  The cashier told me the total and as I was pulling out my card to pay for the locks, this man handed me a card that gave me 10% off the total bill.  It ended up being a pretty good savings.  We talked for a couple minutes more and I thanked him for showing me a better life today and for demonstrating what grace was all about.  Then I left. 

God says that his grace is sufficient.  That means it's enough.  There's nothing you need to add to it or subtract from it to make it work in your life.  I believe there's a common misconception in our world that says grace is for heaven, but I have to work harder for a better life now.  This couldn't be more false!  God wants us to have a better life right now!  He wants us to survive and thrive and be joyful and content and all the things that a loving father wants for his children.  That's why his grace is enough, because it takes care of the heaven bit very well but it does more!  So much more. 

Today be on the look out for unexpected goodness shown to you.  Look for ways that God is bettering your life right now. 

Lord open our eyes that we might see you working among us on this journey we call faith.  Amen.