Grace and Peace — What the Church Needs

One phrase appears repeatedly in Paul's letters:

Grace and peace.

It is easy to read those words as nothing more than a greeting.

But I have often wondered what it would mean if an entire church truly understood the importance of those two things.

Imagine a church where everyone was troubled.

What would that look like?

Or imagine a church where people had lost the grace to continue.

How would they carry the responsibilities God had entrusted to them?

We need grace.

We need grace to serve.

Grace to forgive.

Grace to persevere.

Grace to love people who are difficult to love.

Grace to continue when the journey becomes tiring.

And we need peace.

Peace when circumstances are uncertain.

Peace when answers have not yet come.

Peace when there are difficult decisions to make.

Peace that does not depend entirely on what is happening around us.

Paul knew the importance of praying this over the church.

Grace and peace.

Perhaps we should pray it over our churches, families, leaders and communities too.

Lord, give us grace to continue and peace to remain steadfast.

May Your grace sustain us.

May Your peace guard us.

And may our lives bring glory to You.