Unmerited Favor

               I have heard grace described as unmerited favor. That may be slightly oversimplified, but it's a pretty accurate definition.  The funny thing about human nature is that we keep trying to merit God's grace, to be "good enough." We try to place our good deeds and good intentions on a scale to balance out our iniquities.
               Proverbs 6:16-19 says there are seven things that are "detestable" to God.  At one time or another I've commited 6 out of the 7.  The only one I've missed so far is murder.  What are the chances I could do enough good deeds to tip the scale in my favor?  Hopeless!  God doesn't even keep score that way!  And he doesn't grade on a curve.  I'm lost without grace!
               Even if I make a list of my good deeds, I don't get credit for them.  I Peter 4:10 says:
""...use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering Go'd grace...."
So, whatever abilities I have to serve others are gifts given me by the grace of God.  How can I take credit for that? 
               How about if I take credit for using my time and energy?  I work really hard.  Really sacrificial, right?  Wrong!  Colossians 1:29 tells me that any work I do is with energy supplied by God.   I work with "all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me." And I Corinthians 15:10 informs me that "By the grace of God I am what I am....I worked harder than all of them--yet not I , but the grace of God that was with me."  By grace I am able to serve God and by grace I am saved.
               Okay, then, let me take credit for having a good enough heart to even think of ways to serve. I can take credit for the ideas, can't I?  Nope!  Philippians 2:13 tells me that "it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."  Any good thing I think of that coincides with the will of God did not originate with me. I have nothing to bring to set on the scales to balance out my sins.  I am fully dependent on God's grace.  His favor is completely unmerited in my life.

     I brought Jesus only brokenness and emptiness and sin,
     But he took the pieces of my life and offered to come in.
     And he made of all those fragments something whole and straight and tall--
     Yes, there's a hand to lift us when we fall

               When we've got access to the grace of God, we've got it all!