God's Chain of Grace - Part Two
“For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.” Proverbs 1:9 (KJV, emphasis mine)
Last week, I reminded us that as God’s people we are the Kings of Bling because we trust and obey the King of Kings! However, those who are recipients of the Chain of God’s Grace engage in personal effort. Now for clarification I am not calling for or encouraging a work-oriented faith but faith without works is dead. That is, your work for God comes from God being in you! “The proof is in the pudding!” Jesus is the pudding that people will be able to touch and taste in our lives.
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17 (KJV)
Obedience and submission to the Lord is the outflow of evidence that we belong to Him. We also know that our obedience is indicative of love for the Lord. Scripture is not silent about the significance of obedience!
“Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.” Exodus 19:5 (KJV)
“But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.” Jeremiah 7:23 (KJV)
“As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance.” 1 Peter 1:14 (KJV)
In the book of Proverbs there is a passage that points to people that place themselves in a position to have God’s chain of grace a placed around their neck.
“My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.” Proverbs 1: 8-9 (KJV, emphasis added)
The text turns our thoughts to what I refer to as parents who parent with divine purpose. These are parents who have made themselves available to instruct their children the law! Parents who love the Lord and live out the Law (God’s Word) in front of them. Parents that have consistently called their children to obey the Law and not what they feel is right in their own eyes.
So if children pay attention and purpose to practice obedience to what their parents taught they are promised some kind of head ornament and a neck chain. That is the blessing and favor of God’s grace, goodness and honor as opposed to God’s judgment and a life of dishonor and shame.
It also follows that we should be adamant to place ourselves in a position to obey God’s Word at anytime in front of any people! Choose to commit to cancel out the chains of carnality and God will grant you His chain of grace!
For the Glory of God,
PBKSR