Devotionals

Deserving Grace

by Anne Adams
07/08/25
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

When I first settled in Texas some years ago I quickly learned what I tend to call "Southern-speak” – those unique expressions so often heard in this part of the country. One of these is the oft-heard greeting "Howdy!" as well as the versatile term "y'all." This last is a very useful general expression - and can even be possessive ("Is that y'all's car?"). 

These are other expressions of course. For example, if you want to do or acquire something you might say, "I've got a hankering for..." Or when you end a phone call or visit you say, "Let me let you go..." Or instead of saying "I believe" or “I guess” you say, ""I reckon...."Or suppose you’re saying goodbye to someone close and want to hug and maybe kiss them you might say, "Give me some sugar..."

But one of the most interesting is when you ask someone “”How're you doing?" And they respond. “Better than I deserve!”

We might think that’s amusing - but it actually describes how we as imperfect sin-contaminated creatures can have a relationship with the eternal inviolably pristine God of the universe. The answer is simple. It’s called grace – which we can define as all God can do for us because of our belief in Christ. And it’s not based on anything we’ve done – our merit – but entirely on what God’s done – his merit.

So we might say it all depends entirely on him – not us.

In short, it means that we get “better than we deserve.”  For our benefit and his glory.