"God is good,
a hiding place in tough times.
He recognizes and welcomes
anyone looking for help,
No matter how desperate the trouble.
But cozy islands of escape
He wipes right off the map.
No one gets away from God."- Nahum 1:7-8 (The Message)
Do the Christmas holidays bring out the worst in you? I was talking to a friend today and asked if he was all ready for Christmas. "I'm never ready for Christmas," he grumbled. "It seems like everywhere I go people are pushing and shoving and no one remembers this is supposed to be a happy time."
I think lots of people are like that. It seems to me that for every person who sees Christmas as a joyful, happy time, there is one for whom it is a time of sadness, anger, or depression. Even the happy ones can get hung up in guilt- we haven't gotten our Christmas cards finished yet, or we haven't made cookies for our neighbors, or we forgot to send a gift to so-and-so, and on and on.
Well, here's a novel idea this Christmas- come back to God. This verse from Nahum says that God is the perfect hiding place- that He recognizes anyone looking for help. Chances are, if you're reading this, you already know that, but maybe you have neglected to seek Him out during this stressful time. Here's a thought- spend more time in your bible this month. Spend more time in prayer. Go off by yourself and read and pray. Or, spend time with other believers, building them up and getting yourself built up in the process. This passage also says "No one gets away from God." So- Christians- quit trying to hide this Christmas season. You know, intellectually, that His grace is abundant and sufficient for everyone. You just need to remember that this includes YOU. Even at Christmas.
Peace to you.
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grace. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
I don't get grace
Grace is God's ultimate gift to us. It is unmerited favor from God given to people who don't deserve it. It is often described in Christianese with the backronym "God's Riches At Christ's Expense." It is by His grace, we are saved. So I get that part.
So here's what I don't get... why me and not someone else? Certainly there are people who have done more good and/or less bad that don't know His grace. Why did I win the "eternity lottery" and others won't? Most of all, why did God (in all His righteousness) decide to save even one of us (in all our wretchedness)? Ephesians 4:7 says, "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift."
The measure of Christ's gift... think about that. Christ's gift was God Himself, creator of all things, leaving heaven and coming to earth, living life as a human (and showing us how it's done, in the process) then submitting to the authority of this world and dying a horrible, painful, wicked death- being tortured and teased and left hanging on a tree. That is the measure of Christ's gift, and the bible says that each of us received grace according to the measure of that gift. I don't get it.
As a teacher in the church, I seem to think often that my greatest goal should be life change for the people in our church. But it's not. See, for me to change someone's life, I need to teach that grace is not enough. You need to have grace and give your tithe. You need grace and to serve. You need grace plus a good life. But, grace plus anything denigrates the measure of Christ's gift. Christ's body was broken for you. His blood was spilled for you. As he hung on the cross, your picture went through His mind. That plus nothing is enough for anyone.
So here's what I don't get... why me and not someone else? Certainly there are people who have done more good and/or less bad that don't know His grace. Why did I win the "eternity lottery" and others won't? Most of all, why did God (in all His righteousness) decide to save even one of us (in all our wretchedness)? Ephesians 4:7 says, "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift."
The measure of Christ's gift... think about that. Christ's gift was God Himself, creator of all things, leaving heaven and coming to earth, living life as a human (and showing us how it's done, in the process) then submitting to the authority of this world and dying a horrible, painful, wicked death- being tortured and teased and left hanging on a tree. That is the measure of Christ's gift, and the bible says that each of us received grace according to the measure of that gift. I don't get it.
As a teacher in the church, I seem to think often that my greatest goal should be life change for the people in our church. But it's not. See, for me to change someone's life, I need to teach that grace is not enough. You need to have grace and give your tithe. You need grace and to serve. You need grace plus a good life. But, grace plus anything denigrates the measure of Christ's gift. Christ's body was broken for you. His blood was spilled for you. As he hung on the cross, your picture went through His mind. That plus nothing is enough for anyone.
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