John 1:16 (ESV)
“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”
DEVOTIONAL
This verse is like a deep well—quiet, simple in appearance, yet immeasurably rich. It invites us to drink deeply of Christ, to be satisfied not by the broken cisterns of this world but by the overflowing abundance of His mercy and kindness.
From His Fullness
John tells us that we receive “from His fullness.” What is this fullness? It is the inexhaustible treasure of Christ Himself. Paul writes in Colossians 1:19, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” Christ is not lacking in any good thing. He is full of truth, full of righteousness, full of grace, full of divine power and compassion.
And this is the astounding thing: He does not hoard His fullness. He gives. Freely. Lavishly. To empty sinners like us. We are not just given crumbs from the King’s table—we are invited to the feast.
We Have All Received
The “we” here includes every believer—rich or poor, weak or strong, young or old. Every Christian has received from Christ. There is no such thing as a half-saved Christian or a second-class saint. The weakest believer receives from Christ the same perfect righteousness and the same new birth as the strongest. We don’t earn His gifts. We don’t qualify ourselves. We come with nothing, and He gives us everything.
Grace Upon Grace
This phrase is the heart of the verse. It means grace in place of grace. Grace following grace. Grace heaped upon grace.
Imagine waves at the sea. One wave rolls in, and before it finishes, another is already coming. That’s the picture here. The grace of yesterday is not all there is. Today, new grace. Tomorrow, more still. There is no drought in Christ. No famine of mercy. No limit to His goodness.
Did you sin today? There is grace for that. Are you weary? There is grace for that. Are you confused, grieving, ashamed, or anxious? More grace. Always grace.
This is not a license to sin—it is a summons to trust. The one who is truly gripped by grace will not run from Christ, but to Him. Again and again. And in Him, you will never find an empty storehouse.
A Prayer for Today
O Lord Jesus Christ,
We praise You, the fountain of all grace. From Your fullness we have received every good thing—life, forgiveness, peace, and hope. And we confess, Lord, we are often forgetful. We act as if Your mercy has run out, as if You are tired of us. Forgive us.
Teach us to come to You again and again, not with pride or performance, but in humility and trust. Let Your Word dwell in us richly, and let the sweetness of Your grace quiet our restless hearts.
Thank You that Your mercy is not measured by our merit, but by Your infinite love. Thank You that grace is never scarce in Your kingdom.
Help us to show this same grace to others—to be slow to anger, quick to forgive, and generous in love.
Keep us near the cross, where grace flowed freely. Keep us near the empty tomb, where hope lives eternal.
In Your matchless name, Jesus, we pray.
Amen.