"He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy." Titus 3:5 (NIV)

Sometimes my wife gives me a list of things to do. Nothing special. Just errands.

Many times I can finish the list by the time she gets home. But there also are times when an article takes a little longer to write or I have to reply to an urgent e-mail. Then I'm lucky if I can check off half the items on the list.

Having a half-done list at the end of the day doesn't make me feel very good. I have the feeling that I didn't accomplish what I should have accomplished that day. If I let my disappointment progress too far it turns into guilt.

Thank God that he doesn't make us finish some sort of spiritual list before he accepts us. As the old hymn title summarizes so well, he accepts me "just as I am."

That's the uniquely Christian message of grace. Unlike other faith traditions where a person must do good works to earn God's favor, we as Christians understand that we do good works precisely because God favors us in spite our ourselves and our sin.

As this year comes to a close, we have some small slivers of time in which to stop and marvel at God's redeeming grace. Let this coming year be one in which we tell more and more of our friends and neighbors about this Jesus who wants to wash them clean.

— Matt Donnelly, for the ChristianityToday.com staff

Sign up for the Connection Newsletter and receive a new article plus a whole lot more in your inbox every week!

Read more from 'Open Line'