5-Day Devotional: A Drop of Grace
Introduction:
This devotional is inspired by the testimony of Elder Dennis Paige, whose life was radically transformed from drug dealer and prisoner to pastor and missionary. Each day focuses on a key theme from his story, inviting you to reflect on the profound, personal, and practical nature of God’s grace.
Day 1: God Arrests Our Attention
Scripture: Psalm 34:4-6 (NIV) – “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.”
Reading (From Interview): “It was God making himself known to me in a way that he knew would arrest my attention… and would leave me realizing that there is a God and he’s real.”
Reflection:
God meets us where we are. For Dennis, it was in the midst of a “crazy life” of drugs and spiritualism. God did not wait for Dennis to clean up his act; He intervened in a powerful, supernatural way designed specifically for him. God is not a distant force but a personal God who knows exactly how to get through to us. He may use a moment of crisis, a word from a friend, a feeling of profound peace, or a miraculous event to get our attention and turn us toward Him.
Questions:
-
How has God “arrested your attention” in your life? Was it a dramatic event or a quiet realization?
-
Are there areas in your life right now where you feel God might be trying to get your attention? What might He be saying?
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for not leaving me alone in my struggles. Thank you for pursuing me with a love that is personal and powerful. Open my heart to recognize your voice and your work in my life today. Help me to see that you are real and that you are calling me to yourself. Amen.
Day 2: The Process of Transformation
Scripture: Philippians 1:6 (NIV) – “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Reading (From Interview): “You don’t take a bath just to take a shower… God does the cleansing and he does the healing and the restoration. He just asks us to keep walking in that direction. Keep coming towards him.”
Reflection:
Salvation is an event, but sanctification is a process. Dennis started reading the Bible while he was still selling drugs. His journey was one of gradual transformation, not instant perfection. God invites us to simply start where we are and keep moving toward Him. He handles the deep cleaning; we are called to daily trust and obedience. This removes the pressure of having to be perfect and instead invites us into a daily relationship where change happens from the inside out.
Questions:
-
Where in your spiritual walk are you expecting instant perfection from yourself, rather than trusting God’s process?
-
What is one practical step you can take today to “keep coming towards Him”?
Prayer:
Father, I am so grateful that my salvation and transformation rest in your hands, not mine. Forgive me for trying to clean myself up before coming to you. Help me to simply come as I am, to read your Word, and to trust that you are faithfully completing the good work you started in me. Amen.
Day 3: The Power of a Transformed Life
Scripture: Romans 12:2 (NIV) – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Reading (From Interview): “When people see things like that happening, they know God’s working in your life… And they want that same influence in their lives as well.” (Referring to apologizing to someone who hit him first).
Reflection:
True gospel transformation is visible. It gives us the power to act in ways that are counter-cultural and Spirit-led. Dennis’s actions in prison—standing up to a bully and apologizing to an enemy—were not natural; they were supernatural. These actions became a powerful testimony that pointed others to the source of his strength: Jesus Christ. Our transformed lives are God’s greatest evidence to a watching world.
Questions:
-
Can you think of a time when you acted in a way that was clearly led by the Spirit and not by your natural instincts? What was the result?
-
Who in your world needs to see the evidence of a transformed life? How can you demonstrate God’s love to them this week?
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, renew my mind today. Transform me from the inside out so that my life becomes a clear testimony to your power. Give me the courage to live counter-culturally, to choose love over hate, humility over pride, and peace over conflict, so that others may see you in me. Amen.
Day 4: Ministry to the “Least of These”
Scripture: Matthew 25:35-36, 40 (NIV) – “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat… I was in prison and you came to visit me… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Reading (From Interview): “The importance of the human touch and shaking somebody’s hand… I just put my arm right inside that food slot… all of a sudden the arms come out all the way up to the elbow.”
Reflection:
Jesus identifies deeply with the outcast, the forgotten, and the prisoner. The simple, courageous act of a handshake offered profound dignity to men who had been starved of human touch and compassion. Ministry is often about meeting both tangible needs (hygiene items, dental care) and intangible ones (dignity, hope, touch). When we serve those the world has written off, we are quite literally serving Jesus Himself.
Questions:
-
Who are the people in your community or sphere of influence that society might consider “the least of these”?
-
What is one simple, practical act of kindness you can do to offer dignity and hope to someone who feels forgotten?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, break my heart for what breaks yours. Help me to see the people around me through your eyes of infinite love and value. Give me your courage to step out of my comfort zone to offer a touch, a word, or an act of kindness to someone who needs to experience your grace today. Amen.
Day 5: The Call to Be a Laborer
Scripture: Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV) – “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'”
Reading (From Interview): “Jesus asked us to ask the Lord of the harvest not for money but for laborers… because when laborers step forward, the money and the means always comes with them. God always provides.”
Reflection:
God’s work is done by His people. The need in prisons, in inner cities, and across the world is vast, but God’s strategy is to call and equip laborers. He doesn’t ask us to fund the mission from a distance; He invites us to participate in it. Dennis’s story is a challenge to move from being a spectator to being a laborer. God is not looking for your money first; He is looking for you—your time, your gifts, your willingness to go.
Questions:
-
What is your initial reaction to the idea of being a “laborer” in God’s harvest? Does it excite or frighten you?
-
What is one way you can respond to this call? (e.g., Pray for laborers, support a ministry like Drop of Grace, volunteer locally, go on a mission trip).
Prayer:
Lord of the Harvest, here I am. Use me. Give me a willing heart to step into the harvest field, whether that is across the street or across the world. Show me my part to play. I ask you to raise up a army of compassionate laborers to bring your hope to the forgotten places. I trust you to provide all that is needed. Amen.