Rooted in Grace

From the Pastor’s Desk:

Walking in Faith, Sowing Christ’s Love

‘Walking in Faith, Sowing Christ’s Love’ invites us to explore what it means to follow Christ in everyday life. Each month, we will reflect on Scripture, Lutheran teaching, and practical ways to grow in faith and share God’s love with others. Through these reflections, we hope to deepen our trust in God’s promises, live out our calling as Christ’s disciples, and find guidance for nurturing faith in our homes, workplaces, and communities. Each article concludes with a question for personal reflection, helping us walk more faithfully with God.

Rooted in Grace

Faith is a journey, but it can only grow when rooted in God’s grace. Every step of our Christian life — from beginning to end — is grounded in the unearned, undeserved, unconditional favor of God. Grace is not a one-time event; it is the ongoing environment of faith.

The Apostle Paul writes, ‘Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God’ (Romans 5:1–2). Grace is not just a doorway but a dwelling place. We stand in it, live in it, and are sustained by it.

Luther understood grace as more than forgiveness of sins (though it surely includes that). Grace is God’s continual action of creating faith where there is unbelief, of bringing life where there is death. In baptism, we are rooted in grace — buried and raised with Christ (Romans 6:3–4). Each day, we return to those waters by remembering that our worth and identity come not from what we achieve but from what Christ has done.

To be rooted in grace also means to be freed from the exhausting need to prove ourselves. The world measures value by productivity, success, or virtue. Grace measures value by God’s love for us in Christ. This frees us to love others without fear or pride. When we forgive, serve, or show mercy, we are extending the same grace that has taken root in us.

At times, grace feels invisible — like roots beneath the soil — but it sustains all life and growth. When faith feels weak, grace remains strong. When our love falters, grace restores it. When guilt weighs heavy, grace declares, ‘You are forgiven.’

In a Lutheran understanding, grace is always God’s action, not our accomplishment. It is the ground of assurance: God will not let go of what He has planted. Like trees nourished by deep roots, our lives draw strength from the hidden but steady flow of divine mercy.

Reflection Question:
How can you stay rooted in God’s grace this month — especially when you feel weary, undeserving, or uncertain?