Wonder-ful, Winning Grace

July 12, 2019

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4

As the movie “Wonder” ends, we see Auggie realizing and being recognized by those around him for the true “wonder” that he is. He has received grace, displayed grace, and has become a grace-dispenser. That’s exactly who Paul was, who John was, and who we have the privilege of becoming. Now, Paul and John don’t call us “wonders,” but isn’t that exactly what a conqueror is, especially “more than a conqueror”? That’s mighty big winning!

What makes Auggie’s story, Paul’s and John’s stories, and your story and mine so additionally remarkable is that the “all these things” Paul mentions in the verses just before Romans 8:37 cast us as decidedly the underdogs. Paul is referring to situations that break us, thorny situations, situations we never wanted and likely pled with God to remove from us. But the “wonder” was not in the delivery from the situation. The “wonder” is in the fact that we persevered through it and we came out as winners! Actually, to follow Paul’s thought, more than winners! True wonders!

It is never due to our own strength, but directly attributable to the fact that the epitome and fulfillment of all grace is alive in us. He, Jesus Christ, Grace Himself, is greater than anyone and anything in the world, and greater than Satan, the prince of this world. We cannot help but win if we realize who we are and the strength we have available to us.

We are God’s dear children. We come from Him equipped with the ability to access His power for all that we need. His power comes in the form of amazing grace, delivered to us as exactly what we need exactly when we need it the most.

It IS amazing grace. And we ARE wonder-ful, full of His overcoming, winning grace.

• The lyrics to the famous hymn say, “Grace has brought me safe this far and grace will lead me home.” Take some time in the next 48 hours to write a mini history of your life so far. Trace the footprints of grace through your “dangers, toils, and snares,” and make notes. Your family needs to hear this encouragement from you to build their own faith journey. Find a time and a way to share. It may change their history.