Grace That Awakens Your Yes

Send us your questions and reflections!Are you saved by grace…or by choosing to believe?In this episode of Saved Into Love, Pastor Evan Ryder tackles one of the most important tensions in the Christian faith: If salvation is a gift from God, why does Scripture still call us to respond?Looking at Ephesians 2 and John 3:16, this episode offers a powerful way forward: you must choose salvation for yourself—but you cannot choose it by yourself.God always moves first.Before you ever reached for God, He was already reaching for you. Before you ever felt the desire to seek Him, His grace was already at work in your heart.This is what theologians call prevenient grace—the grace that goes before. It’s God awakening your heart, opening your eyes, and restoring your ability to respond to His love.But grace doesn’t force you.Because love requires choice.God pursues, invites, and opens the way through Jesus—but He waits for your response. Not because you earn salvation, but because real love must be freely received.Think of it like a proposal: you don’t earn it—but your “yes” still matters.God has already said yes to you. Now He invites your response.Love Challenge: Ask God: “How are You pursuing me right now?” Where have you sensed His presence, His invitation, or His stirring in your life? And what is your faithful response?You’re not chasing God.He’s already pursuing you.