Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:2

Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
Ephesians 6:24

The apostle Paul never lost sight of the grace of God in his own life, neither did he take it for granted. He begins almost every letter with “grace to you” and finishes every letter with “grace be with you.” It was the grace of God that reached out to Paul on that Damascus Road while he was breathing out threats against the followers of Christ. Paul would put it this way: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim. 1:12-17).

Paul was not simply degrading himself or even thinking less of himself. He was so occupied with what Christ was accomplishing in his life and what the grace of God had brought him from and brought him to that this grace was an ongoing theme in Paul’s life and writings. Ten times he opens his letters with “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” and nine times he closes his letters with “the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.” He also often closes with “grace be with you all” and begins many letters with “Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.” Paul used these and other similar phrases to emphasize the place grace plays in the lives of those to whom he was writing.

You and I must never lose sight of the grace of God or take it for granted, for while it was free, it was not cheap: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

Anchor For Today:
Grace we sing, God’s grace through Jesus;
Grace, the spring of peace to man;
Grace, that from each sorrow frees us;
Grace, too high for thought to scan;
Grace, the theme of God’s own love;
Grace, the theme all themes above.
-Thomas Kelly