(by Charles Swindoll from Insight for Living)

The word grace means many things to many people. We refer to a ballet dancer as having grace. We say grace at meals. We talk about the queen of England bringing grace to events she attends. Grace can mean coordination of movement, it can mean a prayer, it can refer to dignity and elegance. Most important, grace can mean unmerited favor—extending special favor to someone who doesn’t deserve it, who hasn’t earned it, and who can never repay it. Every once in a while we come across a scene in Scripture where we see a beautiful illustration of that kind of grace, and we stand amazed at such amazing grace.

We find one of those moments in the life of King David. It is, in my personal opinion, the greatest illustration of grace in all the Old Testament. It involves an obscure man with an almost unpronounceable name. Mephibosheth. It’s a beautiful, unforgettable story.

Before his reign as king over Israel began, David made a promise to his predecessor. David vowed that he would not destroy Saul’s descendants once he came to power (1 Samuel 24:20–22). When David consolidated his power and a time of peace came to the land, one of his first acts was to inquire about Saul’s descendants. Normally, ancient kings sought out descendants from the previous regime to kill them and prevent that family’s return to power. However, David made it clear that he sought a descendant of Saul so that he might show him kindness (2 Samuel 9:1).

One of Saul’s former servants answered the call and informed King David about a single son of Jonathan, who was “crippled in both feet.” David’s response was beautiful. He moved right on and said, “Where is he?” He didn’t ask, “How badly is he crippled?” He didn’t even ask how he happened to be in that condition. He just said, “Where’s the man located?”

That’s the way grace is. Grace isn’t picky. Grace doesn’t look for things that have been done that deserve love. Grace operates apart from the response or the ability of the individual. Grace is one-sided. Grace is God giving Himself in full acceptance to someone who does not deserve it and can never earn it and will never be able to repay. And this is what makes the story of David and Mephibosheth so memorable. A strong and famous king stoops down and reaches out to one who represents everything David was not!

Not surprisingly, Mephibosheth had been in hiding. He feared that David would be like all other kings, seeking and killing the descendants of the former regime. The last thing Mephibosheth wanted to see was an emissary from the king rapping on his door. But that was exactly what happened.

Can you imagine the man’s shock? After answering the knock at the door, Mephibosheth looked into the faces of David’s soldiers, who said to him, “The king wants to see you.” He most likely thought, Well, this is the end.

But it wasn’t; it was a whole new beginning! Taken before the king in Jerusalem, this frightened man threw aside his crutches and fell down before the king who had sovereign rights over his life. Mephibosheth had no idea what to expect. Surely, he expected the worst.

David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness [grace] to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly.” (2 Samuel 9:7)

Can you imagine what Mephibosheth must have felt at that moment? Expecting a sword to strike his neck, he heard these unbelievable words from King David. Words of grace.

Dr. Karl Menninger tells the story of Thomas Jefferson, riding horseback cross-country when he and his group came to a swollen river. A wayfarer waited until several of the party had crossed and then hailed President Jefferson and asked if he would carry him across on his horse. Jefferson pulled him up onto the back of his horse and carried him to the opposite bank. “Tell me,” asked one of the men, “why did you select the president to ask this favor of?” “The president?” the man answered. “I didn’t know he was the president. All I know is that on some of the faces is written the answer ‘no’ and on some faces is written the answer ‘yes.’ His was a ‘yes’ face.”¹

People who truly understand grace have a “yes” face. I want to suggest that when Mephibosheth looked up, he saw a “yes” written across King David’s face. (Don’t you wish you could have been there at that magnificent moment?) From that time on, the crippled young man was treated as one of the king’s sons. King David restored to him all the land that had belonged to his grandfather Saul, along with Saul’s servant Ziba and all his household––15 sons and 20 servants. He was viewed by all with respect, and he enjoyed eating regularly with the family at King David’s table, all because of grace. They talked together and laughed together and ate delicious meals together because he was a member of the family . . . and the tablecloth covered his crippled feet.

Moments like that remind us that God will look at His children and say with that “yes” face, “You’re in My family. You’re as important to Me as all my other sons and daughters.” It will take eternity for us to adequately express what this truth means to us—that He chose us in our sinful and rebellious condition and in grace took us from a barren place and gave us a place at His table. And, in love, allowed His tablecloth of grace to cover our sin.

Grace. It really is amazing!

1. Karl Menninger, Martin Mayman, and Paul Pruyser, The Vital Balance (New York: Viking Press, 1963), 22.

Taken from Charles R. Swindoll, “Amazing Grace on Display,” Insights (March 2009): 1–2. Copyright © 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

No right-minded person likes war; we crave for peace, the absence of strife and all hostility. Many religions and therapies claim to calm the mind; as do alcohol, nicotine and other drugs. But the ‘peace’ Peter writes about has a unique origin and eternal effect. We cannot fight for it, or work to earn it; God’s peace comes only through His grace. And its effect is not primarily to make us feel calm (although it will), but to assure us that the dark shadow of God’s wrath has been taken away from our horizon, because Jesus bore it all for us.

This peace is part of God’s gift at Christ’s expense. It enables us to come directly to our Heavenly Father, without fear of judgment (see www.crosscheck.org.uk to find out more). All those who admit that they were the reason that Christ died, are assured of a loving welcome at God’s throne. To be welcomed like that is a massive blessing; and a huge relief that God is not angry with us any more. Of course that is only the start of our relationship with the Lord, but without that start there is no way to get to know Him. Then, once we know that God is longing for us to respond to Him, we need to learn how to please Him – and that is what Peter’s letter is all about.

Getting to know someone takes a lifetime. It is certainly true in marriage: as time goes on we find out more about our spouse. It is the same with God: the more we know of Him, His love and grace and mercy, the more secure we become. Confidence grows as we receive His peace, knowing that all is well between us and Him. The more we explore the Bible, the greater the knowledge and the deeper the peace. In fact, Jesus said that there is no other way to know peace with God (John 14:6). So many people are looking for that peace today; and they need you to tell them how to find it!

Prayer: Holy God. Thank you for helping me to believe that I can be at peace with You, through what Jesus has done. I am so glad that I no longer have to be in terror, fearing your judgment on my sins – as I trust in Jesus. Help me to be bold to explain Your way to eternal peace, which assures me of my place in heaven and comforts my soul each day, lest my friends and colleagues should spend a lifetime and eternity separated from Your loving grace. For Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.

(provided by Beacon Light)

(continued from previous post)

(from – http://www.intouch.org/site/c.cnKBIPNuEoG/b.5281195/k.210D/Feature_Article__Conquering_Your_Fears.htm)

While we are facing very serious times in our nation’s history, we are not alone. God is with us, and He is never out of control.

The apostle Paul discovered this in a fresh way during a very difficult time in his ministry. Somewhere near the end of his second missionary journey, he was staying in the city of Corinth. He had left Athens to go to Macedonia, but something happened that almost caused him to stumble in his faith. The Jews resisted his teaching to a point where they “blasphemed.” Paul was fed up with their stiff-necked ways. He declared that he would no longer go to the Jews first, but instead would preach God’s message to the Gentiles (Acts 18:5-6).

At every turn, Paul faced opposition from the Jewish leaders. On several occasions, his very life had been threatened. He was tired and likely felt alone and worn thin emotionally—vulnerable to the destruction of fear. One night as he drifted off to sleep, God’s Spirit spoke to him, saying, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).

There we have it: one of the greatest apostles who ever lived, battling fear. But the verses that follow do not mention this again. Why? Paul changed his focus. He came face-to-face with the reality of his fear and chose to abandon it. Was this something he could do on his own? Absolutely not. There was no way he could move past the anxiety he felt without the assurance found in Jesus Christ. Once God’s Spirit spoke to his heart, the issue was settled, and Paul knew there was only one thing for him to do: complete the work God had given him.

The Enemy uses many things in an effort to distract us and prevent us from reaching our full potential—and fear is one of his choice weapons. He usually follows it with words of discouragement and accusation: “You can’t do that”; “You haven’t been trained”; “What would people think if you fail?” And that was his strategy in Corinth: Satan knew he would face ultimate defeat if Paul succeeded, so he tried to keep the apostle fearful. The Lord’s faithful promise, delivered at just the right moment, was all the encouragement Paul needed to continue preaching the truth of the gospel.

The right steps to overcoming fear

If you are going to overcome fear, the first step is to acknowledge and admit your anxiety. Confess, “Lord, I feel fearful, and I don’t know what to do. Please show me how to go forward from this point.” Next, ask God to enable you to conquer your fear. The more you understand your relationship with God, the more intimately you will relate to Him. Your level of trust will increase, and you will begin to notice the many ways He is at work in your life and circumstances.

Shortly before his death, Paul wrote an interesting word of instruction to Timothy. He reminded his young protégé, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear doesn’t fit who we are as believers. It usually surfaces when we have the wrong response to disappointment and trial. God wants you to be victorious, not harassed or tormented by anxiety.

Let God remove fear from your life. He may choose to do this by placing you in a frightening situation where you feel out of control. But you do not have to worry, because the One who has promised never to let you go is holding your life in His omnipotent hand.

After you have given your worries to the Lord, meditate on His Word. David understood the power that was available to him through God’s personal promises. He wrote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? . . . My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear” (Psalm 27:1-3).

If you want to keep your confidence strong, study the Bible, apply God’s principles to your life, and walk with Him each day by faith. When you hide His Word in your heart, you will have the light of His truth to guide you—not only for your present circumstances, but also for eternity.

Fix Your Mind on Christ

Too many Christians experience fear because they focus on their circumstances instead of on God. Dr. Stanley teaches that maintaining a proper perspective will help you rest in the Lord.

How to Handle Fear
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“Praise the Lord, God our Savior, who helps us every day.” (Psalm 68:19)

Perhaps the heaviest burden we try to carry is the burden of mistakes and failures. What do you do with your failures?

Even if you’ve fallen, even if you’ve failed, even if everyone else has rejected you, Christ will not turn away from you. He came first and foremost to those who have no hope. He goes to those no one else would go to and says, “I’ll give you eternity.”

Only you can surrender your concerns to the Father, No one else can take those away and give them to God. Only you can cast all your anxieties on the one who cares for you. What better way to start the day than by laying your cares at His feet?

(from Walking With the Savior by Max Lucado)