John 1:16 (Contemporary English Version)
We have all received one blessing after another from the fullness of his grace.
Encouragement
Sometimes you are tired of having to do things. Having to persevere, having to perform, having to be strong. You try to do everything right, but you notice that you are becoming empty. Then John says something simple and powerful: from Jesus' abundance we receive ‘grace upon grace’. That means: God does not have a small supply. He does not give sparingly. With Him, there is enough.
Grace is not, ‘Oh, never mind.’ Grace is God seeing you as you are and yet not rejecting you. He lifts you up, gives you a new chance, and sets you on your way again. And ‘again and again’ means not just once, but over and over again. Even when you've messed up again. Even when you fall back into old habits. God does not quickly lose interest in you.
In church, you see this when someone is struggling with guilt or shame and thinks, ‘I don't belong here.’ And then there is a conversation, prayer, and an open door: ‘You are welcome.’ That is grace in practice.
In society, you see it when someone is given a second chance after making a mistake: an employer who says, ‘We'll work it out together,’ or a social worker who keeps coming, even after a relapse. That gives you breathing space. That's how God shows who He is.
John 1:16 invites you not to live from your own reserves, but from Jesus' abundance. You don't have to have everything in order first to be allowed to come. You may come to receive grace, and from there move forward.
Question to ponder
Where have you been drained? And do you dare to pray honestly today: ‘Lord Jesus, I need your grace’?
Take this with you
- Grace is for today, not just for “later”.
- Jesus' abundance never runs out.
- Ask for help; grace often comes through people.
Final thought
You do not live by your own strength, but by Jesus' fullness. That is why there is hope: grace upon grace, also for you.