The theme of grace permeates Paul’s writings. Paul experienced God’s empowering grace for ministry.  Paul did not feel worthy of the great honor bestowed upon him.  Preaching the Gospel was a wonderful gift, a grace in that it was unmerited favor from God. Paul felt overwhelmed by the pouring out of God’s grace on one who violently persecuted the Church of the Lord.  Paul said grace was given to him; he did not and could not obtain it   on his own.

One  who seeks to tell the  story of Jesus is one will be  one who never forgets his lost condition outside of Christ. We will live as Paul did with a profound sense of humble gratitude to God.  Paul sought to draw attention to the  power of God and God’s willingness to  use  someone like him to preach the gospel to others.  It was  to him an unfathomable gift.

We realize that we  need God’s grace  to  empower us. Paul ties  grace and power together in verse 7. The  might power of God (Eph. 1;19-20) provides sufficient  strength  for  weak, fragile, ordinary people as  they  make the  glories of Christ known.

-Larry Miles, August 17, 2015—Camp Cilca, IL

Larry Miles is Co-Editor of Word and Work Online