What Does Grace Say

Carolyn and I have read a few books during the past three years whose recurring theme is “grace” as in grace of God.  We often catch ourselves making reference to circumstances as a moment for grace or un-grace.

A couple of weeks ago we were in Newport, Oregon for a 3-day get-a-way.  From the balcony of the condo we watched a boy of nine attempt to chase a goose.  On several occasions I've seen geese attack humans. 

I feared this might be the case on this Tuesday.  Thankfully the goose walked away and returned to the water.  We teased that this would make a great blog idea – "The Goose Showed Grace".  Well, so far, it just makes an interesting aside for this blog.

How many different ways can you say “Grace” in your own life?  How many ways has grace been applied in your lifetime?

We have some hope-filled examples from the scriptures. 

~God has a soft spot for rebels.  Consider Jonah’s weekend stay in the belly of a whale.

~God recruited an adulterer and murderer named David.

~He used more than one whiner, for example Jeremiah.

~He picked a traitor named Peter.

All of these are shining examples of the grace of God at work.  He looked beyond the immediate and saw the future possibilities in each case.  In a word, God said, “I’ll take you as you are but I won’t leave you as you are.”

In the words of Philip Yancey, we read this: 

“God’s grace makes prodigals the heroes

of his stories and trophies of his ministry.”

Because of God’s grace, we don’t get what we deserve.  We get better than we deserve.  We get redemption, and hope, and forgiveness, and a do-over.

And sometimes it is a do-over over and over and over again and again and again.

That, my friend, is grace!

   It is unfounded.

      It is a mystery.

         It is undeserved.

            It is a blessing.

               It is a gift of God.

What does grace say?

“God so loved the world that he gave His son…”

P Michael Biggs

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