wide open spaces of grace

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand . . . Romans 5:1-2

Into this grace in which we stand!  Because we have been declared righteous by God through the blood of Christ and now permanently belong to His covenant family  (Justification).  We now have the privilege of exploring the landscape of God’s favor (grace).  

The picture I have is from times we have trekked the Rocky Mountains in CO.  Each day we would wake up and begin a whole new journey of walking through groves of Aspen trees, of blazing trails where there are no trails, of breathing in the fresh mountain air, of being drawn to heights of the mountain peaks, to stand on the top of the world and to see as if to see the world for the first time, and even when lost in the depths of the shadows of the dark forest or caught in a thunder storm-with lightning all around us, we can catch the breath-taking beauty of God’s creation .  

So, because of Christ, we have the privilege of standing and exploring the wide open spaces of God’s grace.  He invites us to explore the vistas of His favor, His presence, His power, His love and the privilege of exploring the depths of God Himself.   And when we get lost, it is through His grace, we find our way back to Him.