I was never very good at Algebra.  I could rarely see the practical benefits of all those equations and using letters where there should have been numbers never seemed right.  The letters complicated the calculations for me (and for a few of my lazy friends as well).  Life with God can be quite complicated to calculate too.   For example, we might think that in light of our past, our experiences and our failures that we can never be useful to God.  Or, we might look at someone else and conclude that they have burned all their bridges and they will remain “outside the fold of God.”  If we get stuck like that it means we have left grace out of our calculations.  The apostle Paul (formerly Saul) was a tyrant against the church for a short time.  We know from the Word itself that there were people who doubted Saul could ever be different.  They had forgotten to keep grace in their calculations.  John Stott wrote, “Saul had a calculated plan to destroy the church but he had left out of his calculations the sovereign grace of God.”  ”The sovereign grace of God!”  It is amazing, wonderful and bountiful, no wonder David wrote, “My cup runneth over.”   Grace is more than unmerited favor.  Grace is more than a force of God.  Grace is the active initiative of God by His Spirit toward people.  His eyes are everywhere looking for people who will respond to His wooing.  Let’s be cautious in our judgment of others and in our judgment of ourselves.  Never calculate without the grace of God.