A Five-Letter Word!

Amanda MacQuarrie December 18, 2025 3 0

Playlists

Add to Favourites

Save for later

Listen to this daily worship

2 Corinthians 12: 1-10 (NIVUK)

1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. 3 And I know that this man – whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows – 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Society tells us hospitality and generosity are deserved or earnt, but the Advent Scriptures remind us God’s coming was particularly good news for those unable to help themselves…
The weak, struggling and persecuted…
Why?
A five-letter word… 
GRACE
When it’s a gift — it’s grace,
When it’s abundance — it’s grace,
When it’s undeserved — it’s grace.

God coming among us,
Slipping into human skin,
Making us new, whole…
That’s more than we deserve,
That’s more than we asked for,
God pouring Godself out… in love
That’s abundance…
It’s not about us making ourselves better,
Or making ourselves right…
God did it for us –
It’s that five letter word…
Grace! 
God’s grace shines most brightly in our weakness!
What God does in love for us,
Is seen most clearly in our helplessness…
And God’s generosity?
God’s grace?
That’s something we need to make room for!
Because that five-letter word, GRACE changes everything…
What if we’re blessed to be a blessing?
What if we’re called to extend that grace to others, and just keep adding chairs to the table…?

Well of Grace,
Heart of Love,
Eternal Host,
You have prepared a banquet,
The tables are groaning under it…
And you prepare a place for me…
A comfortable chair,
Not because of who we are or what we do,
But because of who you are and what you do!
Pouring yourself out in your love for us…
There are more seats than we can count…
For you have love enough for us all.
Thank you!
For the wonder that you love me,
Even me… in all of my humanness and frailty!
And as the wonder of it transforms me
Help me to extend the wonder of that life giving grace to everyone I encounter: in my words, in my actions, in my welcome.
Amen.