Thank God for His grace.  Without it, we would be without hope.  The only way a person can be saved without the grace of God is by living a perfect, sinless life, something that no one, other than our Savior, has done (Romans 3:23).  I cannot begin to describe how blessed we are to be serving a God of grace, the Supreme Being who offers man His unmerited favor.  We can, however, fail to take advantage of the grace of God.  

Hebrews 12:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God…

How can we fail to obtain the grace of God?  Since the ones to whom the writer of Hebrews was addressing had already experienced the grace of God when they obeyed the gospel, he must have been referring to the reward received by God’s grace, that being the salvation of the soul.  Even though we have been saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9), we can fail to receive the end of that grace—a home in heaven at the appointed time.  How can we do this?  We can do it by not running the race properly.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV)
²⁴  Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. ²⁵  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. ²⁷  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Are you running that you might obtain?  In your daily service to Christ, are you exercising the self-control necessary to receive the crown, or are you running aimlessly and half-heartedly?  Too many in the body of Christ just jog around the track, not even breaking a sweat, and think that they are somehow going to win the prize.  They will most likely fail to obtain the grace of God.

Sporadic effort is another way to miss out on the rewards of God’s grace.   Some run the race of Christianity as hard and fast as they can, but only once in a while.  That is a dangerous way to run this race and most who do so fail to obtain the prize.  Paul warned us about this by exhorting us to serve Christ consistently.

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
⁵⁸  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Do not take the chance of your labor being in vain.  You can avoid that by being steadfast and unmovable.  Serve Jesus every day by walking in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called (Ephesians 4:1).  If you are ever overtaken by a fault, repent and ask God’s forgiveness (Acts 8:22), and start walking according to the gospel once again.  Be faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10), and you will obtain the grace that God has prepared for you—a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to you on that Day (2 Timothy 4:9).  

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.