“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”
Grace is favor: something delightful that is completely undeserved, unexpected, and freely given. For example, salvation is a gift from God that we cannot earn (Eph. 2:5–9). Grace helps us grow in sacrificial love because it reminds us that our spouses do not owe us anything. Because we are recipients of God’s generous grace, can we offer any less to our husbands or wives?
In the context of our marriages, we have regular opportunities to extend grace by going beyond what’s expected to bless our spouses. Grace is saying, “I know it’s your turn to give the kids a bath/cook dinner/walk the dog, but I’ll do it.” Grace is easy when we’re well-resourced and not so easy when we’re tired or stressed.
Mercy carries with it connotations of being spared, pardoned, or forgiven for something we did or perhaps didn’t do. It is a manifestation of kindness and love, particularly when something else is deserved. Referencing Titus 3:5, poet Luci Shaw writes, “Now, as we yield ourselves to be washed in grace’s laundry, the scandal of undeserved mercy acts on us as God’s unlikely bleach.” Yes and amen! The Lord is merciful to us even though we regularly break his commands. Extending mercy fosters sacrificial love because it prevents us from judging one another and hardening our hearts.
Reflect:
Contemplate Titus 3:4–7, considering God’s grace and mercy toward you. What is one example of a time when you have extended mercy or grace to your spouse?
Pray:
Speak honestly to God about ways your spouse may have wronged or disappointed you. Ask God to empower you to show his mercy and grace to your spouse.
While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
As my doubts about his teachings grew, so did a secret fascination with Jesus.
We must always be people of the Word, but we’ll have to reimagine deep engagement with Scripture.
