from God our Father
and our Lord Jesus Christ."
Galatians 1:3
A minister surprised his congregation by announcing that he had recently been saved by the grace of God. He had been trying for years to earn his salvation. No matter how hard he tried to please God, nothing worked. He knew that he wasn't right with God, because he never experienced the peace of God. Finally, he gave up. One night he was reading his Bible. He read Ephesians 2:5, "By grace you have been saved." Then, he prayed, "God, I'm trusting in your grace alone to save me." Peace came to his heart. He knew that he was right with God.
Peace is a fruit of God's grace working in our lives. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Trusting God's grace alone in Christ brings peace with God and peace within our hearts. "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). John Newton's hymn Amazing Grace includes these words: "How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed." God's grace that brings peace is received by faith in Christ.
Are you at peace with God? We are restless until we find peace with God through grace alone. An elderly church member said to his pastor, "I know that my days on this earth will soon end. I only hope that I've done enough for God." His pastor said, "It's really not how much we've done for God, but what He's done for us. And, that's called grace." They continued their conversation. When the man left his pastor that day, he found peace with God through Christ, trusting in grace alone. Grace brings peace. That's God's peace in our hearts.
Father, we trust in Your grace that brings peace to our hearts.
