I wonder if G.R.A.C.E. may be an acronym for the core of God’s character. Of course, a thousand DaVinci code breakers would be required to discover how the acronym leads from a thousand different languages to the same treasure. But, believing that the treasure is far more valuable than Atocha gold, I have been working on it (but only from the English lettering). Here’s what I have discovered as of today.

Grace is about God, not about me.

Grace is not the opposite of judgment, but its partner. Everyone (except those being judged) would like for judgment to be black or white—saved or lost. But grace comes in like a defense attorney, guiding judge and jury through the grey areas to a redemptive conclusion.

Grace is not new. It’s been around since Michael and Lucifer disagreed on freedom and control in Heaven. It was the fertilizer beneath the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Grace is not old. God creatively personalizes grace for each of us—just when we need Him most.

Grace usually comes to the recipient as a surprise, wrapped with unpredictable pizazz.

The Bible is threaded with grace. Reading Scripture is like looking through a picture book on God’s desk. Each photograph tells a story of how effective God was in delivering grace (and how people were accepting and rejecting) in a human moment.

Consider some of the photos:

Angels swinging light sabers at the gates of Eden—while teaching Adam, Eve, and their children more about God...

Noah offering free berths on the cruise deck—even after the animals had been tethered...

Jehovah listening to Abraham’s plaintive cajoling—until He finally agreed to save Sodom “if there are only ten”...

David weeping prayers from his bedroom floor—until Bathsheba’s son finally dies...

Habakkuk shouting angrily at God from the parapet—and then promising to trust, “even though there are no sheep in the fold”...

Jesus following Jairus home to heal his little girl—even though Jairus had tried to turn Capernaum against Him...

The prodigal’s father missing most of the homecoming party—because he was out in the courtyard discussing family values with his older, hard-working, logical, cracked-ego son...

John the Revelator weeping in terror as beasts rush to devour God’s followers—and then leading the victory cheers as God’s “little white cloud” fills the sky...

Moses dedicating God’s throne—atop the golden ark in the sanctuary’s Most Holy Place—as “the Mercy Seat”: The home of grace.

Maybe grace is not an acronym after all, but just the deepest and most personal whorl in the fingerprint of God.

Dick Duerksen is assistant vice president for mission development at Florida Hospital.