Seeing God - Grace
QUESTIONS
What does Grace mean to you? What do you think when you think about Grace?
When times are hard do you tend to trust yourself more than God, or the other way around? Why do you think that would be?
What does it mean to say “God is Gracious”?
Meaning
God says He is gracious. Even though the word might be familiar, it might be helpful to take time to go through all the different meanings and uses of the word throughout the Bible. Mostly and above, what does it mean for God of the universe to be gracious?
A common understanding of the word “gracious” is to be kind, courteous, and even delightful. Another usual meaning of it is to be forgiving, merciful, and compassionate.
Both definitions are linked to the idea that to be gracious is to extend kindness or show delight towards someone who may not be deserving of that treatment.
These two meanings are also connected in Hebrew thought. So when God calls himself gracious, what he means is that he sees you as a treasure, he delights in you, regardless of your status or behavior.
—Bible Project
Grace as Beauty
The Hebrew word for grace is “khen”. In Hebrew, khen is anything that induces a favorable response or something we find ourselves drawn. Basically, anything that we encounter that brings us delight could be called khen.
for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace.
—Proverbs 3:22
In this verse, God’s wisdom is compared to a necklace and is called “an ornament of khen,” usually translated as “an ornament of grace.” Usually people who wear necklaces they feel delight in using those jewels and to those who see it worn. Proverbs author is challenging us to think of God’s wisdom like that necklace.
You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever.
—Psalm 45:2
In this verse, the psalmist is said to have “lips of grace (khen)”. In this particular case it means that the psalmist lips create bauty when he uses them for his poetry.
These and other of khen are describing beauty, elegance, and things worth treasuring. To find khen is to find a treasure.
Grace as Favor
This word is also used in Scriptures when someone asks to be treated like a treasure or favorably.
This is what it means to be “found as khen” in someone’s eyes. That phrase, “to find khen in the eyes” is a popular biblical phrase, used 47 times throughout Scripture. And it is exclusively used when someone of higher status looks upon someone of lower status with favor.
—Bible Project
For example, Joseph was a slave who found khen in the eyes of his master Potiphar:
This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned.
—Genesis 39:4
Potiphar didn’t see Joseph as a lowly slave. He saw him as someone worthy of delight because Yaweh was with him. Potiphar’s favor towards Joseph came in the form of putting him in charge of his household and entrusting all of his assets to him.
Boaz is another great example of grace. He decided to take care of Ruth—a widowed immigrant named—by letting her glean in his field for free. In response to this generosity she says:
“What have I done to deserve such kindness?” she asked. “I am only a foreigner.”
—Ruth 2:10
Someone in authority can find someone of lesser status as worthy of khen (favor). As a result, that person of lower status will be treated with higher regard than their true position would necessitate. And the opposite is true too. Someone in a lowly position can ask someone superior to find khen in their eyes for them. This is what it means for someone to “find khen” in the eyes of another.
—Bible Project
Grace as Action
When khen is use as a verb, this means that one’s is bestowing khen—delight, favor, value—on someone. This is always an act of generosity or favor from someone of higher status to someone of lower status.
8 Mordecai gave Hathach a copy of the decree issued in Susa that called for the death of all Jews. He asked Hathach to show it to Esther and explain the situation to her. He also asked Hathach to direct her to go to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people.
—Esther 4:8
3 Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews.
—Esther 8:3
Esther goes before King Ahasuerus to interceed for her people so they would be spared from destruction. She asks for khanan. Esther is a subordinate making a request to a superior who is not obligated to grant her request.
A Gracious God
Someone consistently favorable towards lower status’ people could be called as someone full of khen. This is the case of God, who is full of grace towards all human beings; He consistently look upon humans with favor. And is is not a matter of earning or deserving.
In fact, the story of the Bible is one that shows humans as constantly messing up—we lie, cheat, steal, and kill. We go out of our way to show God we don’t deserve to be favored. But despite our failings, God is gracious and gracefull.
In the context of Exodus passage, God has just rescued his people from slavery, brought them to savety and made a covenant with them. In response to that, the Israelites made an idol statue by breaking two of God’s covenant commandments. Besides this God will continue to show favor on humanity even then we rebel.
This attribute of God, his graciousness, the consistent favor he shows towards humanity, is something the Bible celebrates. It is presented throughout Scripture as the undeserved gift it truly is.
—Bible Project
The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.—Psalm 103:8-10
We can trust that God will be gracious with us, and it’s even something we can feel empowered to ask of him:
Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.—Psalm 51:1
The story of the Bible is about how God is relentlessly pursuing a relationship with humanity. He continually strives to show us favor even when we betray him or turn our backs on him. Throughout the Bible, we see the God of the universe find ways to reconcile with a hard-hearted and rebellious humanity. And that’s what it means that God is gracious.
—Bible Project
QUESTIONS
When did someone said to you some KHEN words that made you feel delight about that person or delight in the person? Did you let them know how you felt about them afterwards? How did they react?
When did someone did something KHEN to you? What did they do? How did you felt about that person? What were your thoughts and feelings at the moment?
When was your last time you dod or said something KHEN to someone, rooted on your delight for that person?
What requests for KHEN do you have?
Can you picture a situation like this on of Esau and Jacob in your life when you were in Jacob’s shoes? How was that and how it went?
How do you feel about Jesus KHARIS towards you? How does that affect your life and your relationship with Him?
How have you experiencing God’s grace and favor in your life?
Do you own your failures and ask God for His grace? How it has been that process in your life?
Do you trust God’s love and grace to you? Why not? Why yes?
We know that God’s doesn’t change or stops to be who He is when we don’t trust Him. He respects our decisions and choices because He loves us. So even though He knows what’s best for us, he respects our choices and let us to have our way if we want to. But, because of our unbelief or lack of faith our relationship with Him, and consequently with others and ourselves, we loose the blessing and the blessing of seeing Jesus, and grow.
The most amazing thing is that He never stops to love us: he continues to love us fully and wholly, because his love is not attached to our performance but to His character, that’s who He is.
We have been learning about God’s character, but the thing is, what are we going to do, or are doing with the truth that we have been receiving? What impact has been having these truths in my day to day life? Has my understanding of who God is changed? What did change? Am I trusting more God know that I know that He never quits me, that He is consistent in compassion towards me?
As we keep diving into the character of God, I challenge you to be willing to trust Him more and more and actually take that trust into practice, in your day to day situations, even when you don’t know what to do…
QUESTIONS
What specific fears or doubts have held you back from trusting and obeying God?
Instead of replaying your past or current fears, shift your focus to God. What comes to mind as you remember God’s trustworthy character?
Jesus leads all who trust in him into an experience of God’s promises. The road isn’t easy, but it leads to life. What is one step you can take today to trust and follow him?
Charge
Turn your reflections into a prayer. Express your gratitude for God’s trustworthy character and intentions toward you. Be honest about the ways you have overestimated your fears and underestimated his faithfulness. And ask for His help to understand and trust in his care for you today.
We thank Bible Project team for all the helpful resources provided to put this study together.