Amazing Grace

Last Sunday at Life Community Church, Pastor Kenny spoke on the book of Hosea. Presenting to us this challenge to really understand and explore what mercy, forgiveness and grace is really all about. Since than I have began reading a book called: What's so amazing about Grace? By Philip Yancey and have been stirring over in my spirit this idea of grace. More importantly, God's grace. So many times in my life I think that we tend to have a shallow view of grace as Christians. I think only in the last few years of my life I have really began to contemplate, search and wrestle with this idea of grace. As I have, I have been humbled. As I have, I have been freed. As I have, I have come to a deeper more intimate love for God. Truly God's love and grace is more than we can comprehend. His love so deep that we can only mirror a small reflection of this to the world around us. Yet we are commanded to do so. We sing so many songs declaring His “Amazing Grace”, or His great love for us. These things are all true and I would never suggest that we don't take the time to reflect and praise Him for these things. Yet, I present this challenge: Have we really allowed our hearts, minds and spirits to grapple with and accept God's grace? To take it beyond just an concept, an idea, beyond just the word “grace” and to learn to receive it in our lives. I believe when we do, grace will change the way that live, act, react and interact with those around us. We will be a “church” (the actual fellowship of people that Christ called us to be, not the established church building), that will demonstrate the love of Christ and reality of his gift to those we come in contact with.

The world thirsts for Grace in ways that it does not even recognize. All people long for an intimacy with God, whether they will admit it our not. Their is a desire in the heart of every person for the eternal promises of God. (Ecc 3:11). For true love and grace to be poured out upon them. But has the church lost focus of this? Are we truly living as people of grace demonstrating this as Christ desires us to? I think that the “church” is failing in this area in many ways. Christians are not showing the same characteristic of grace to their neighbor that their Christ showed them. In John 13:34,35. Jesus says:“Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Do we truly live understanding first, the love that God has poured out for us, and secondly, the love that we are to show those around us? Have we taken the time to really understand how deep Christ's love is for us? Christians are not living to be like the Christ they claim to represent. Oddly, I sometimes find a shortage of Grace within the church, in the institution that claims to be: "the gospel of God's Grace". I enjoy how Philip Yancey puts it: "Like a fine wine poured into a jug of water, Jesus' wondrous message gets diluted in the vessel of the church." (Yancey, pg. 29).

I find that I pick on Christians sometimes in this area. Because I am one, and there is no reason to pretend that we are better than we are. I fight this idea of grace in my own life. I wrestle with the idea of God loving me to the point that my sins are forgiven. I feel I must do something to earn this grace. I battle daily against pride, judgmentalism, and feeling that I somehow have to earn God's approval. Yet I know the truth, the price has been paid. There is nothing I can do to earn God's grace. I am humbled at this thought. This is the realization that inspires, directs and leads me into a deeper intimacy with God. That leads me to complete dependence upon Him. As we go through our week, working, living, laughing and loving; may we keep in mind that we are bought at a price. One that we cannot pay, one that was freely given. Amazing Grace, truly is it a sweet sound.

Till next time....