Epiphany

January 16, 2020

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. –1 Corinthians 1:1-3

Paul seemed to have a special place in his heart for God’s grace, perhaps because he had experienced it so strongly in his encounters with God. He opened his letter with this or a similar phrase. The word is used 86 times in Paul’s letters and those influenced by Paul. Grace is the translation of the Greek word charis which is preeminently used of the Lord’s favor – freely extended to give Himself away to people*. My guess is that when Paul used grace in his salutations, he meant it to carry both the connotation of God’s gift freely given and Paul’s attempts to follow Christ’s example of grace freely given.

Merriam-Webster picks up this theme in its definition of grace. I was raised in a family that said grace at every meal in recognition of God’s gifts including the food we ate.

1. Grace
   1. a beneficence or generosity shown by God to humankind
   1. a free gift of God to humankind for regeneration or sanctification, an influence emanating from God and acting for the spiritual well-being of the recipient
   1. a state of acceptance by or of being pleasing to God, enjoyment of divine favor
   1. a virtue or moral excellence regarded as coming from God:  a Christian virtue
   1. Grace :  God as the source of grace
2. a short prayer either asking a blessing before or giving thanks after a meal*

We as a people are caught in a world that asks, “What is in it for me?” as we relate to others. We may forget that we have already received all that we need, God’s love. As we begin a new year, let’s all try to live in and through grace in all our relationships.

Prayer: Thank you Lord, for the gift of your regenerative grace. Let it flow forth from us in all that we do and say. Amen.

*https://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm
**http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com/unabridged/grace

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.