“The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10-11)

This passage lists another name for God in the New Testament—the God of all grace. Peter ends with amen, indicating that this is a prayer in which Peter is calling upon the God of all grace to “perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle” the suffering believers.

Not only do we desperately need God’s grace in the trials of life, but our faith journey also began in grace. Indeed, Ephesians 2:1-3 describes the terrible and hopeless state of Paul’s readers before their salvation. As unregenerate sinners, they were not only spiritually dead in their sin but enslaved to the ways of Satan according to the sinful desires of the flesh and the mind, being ultimately destined for God’s wrath.

Then God’s grace-alone remedy is given in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” And this amazing grace is not just for our original deliverance and the sustaining work of salvation, but for all eternity. “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7).

Thanks be to the God of all grace, “for thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee,” and “thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:5, 15). JPT

Days of Praise Podcast is a podcast based on the Institute for Creation Research quarterly print devotional, Days of Praise. Start your day with devotional readings written by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and others to strengthen and encourage you in your Christian faith.