For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Titus 2:11

When we use the word “grace” to describe human interactions, it is often a lovely synonym for letting someone off the hook. When we apply grace to God’s character and actions, something else entirely comes into play. If it were possible to obtain a core sample of the heart of God, the analysis would come back as pure grace. 

It is no accident that our Christian walk is sometimes referred to as a growth in grace. The more we know of God, the more access He has to our heart and to our life, the more we understand the reality of His grace. On a human level, it is most often experienced as an increasing depth of joy in the good times and new peace and purpose in trials. On a spiritual level, it is the mysterious intersection of our highest good for God’s eternal glory.

Christmas celebrates a supernatural dimension that the seasonal fairy tales attempt to capture. Eternity has entered physical space and actual time.  Omnipotence has chosen to dwell in a common life. And the only motivation is to bring the grace of heaven to a fractured and fallen world.

Nancy Shirah