Divine Grace
It’s two o’clock in the afternoon and I’m in the middle of a children’s hospital in Dallas, Texas. Within earshot are nurses pacing down the halls, heart rate monitors and countless other machines blaring, and in our small area my thirteen-year-old cousin with a broken jaw, minutes away from heading into surgery, and another woman who has helped raise and care for me from the day I was born all the way to this present day, also known as my aunt.
The pressure within my chest begins to weigh me down, my breathing becomes short and hurried, and anxiety begins to riddle all over my mind and body. I have no control over how this surgery will go or what the recovery process will be, nor do I have any knowledge about any of this while simultaneously trying to be an aid to my aunt caring for her wounded son.
A few hours pass and my baby cousin comes out of surgery with his same charming smile and dashing humor. The tension begins to de-escalate, certainty begins to come to fruition, and the next steps become clear by the minute. The thought constantly ruminating in my mind during this experience was the grace of God.
God, in His grace, saw it fit for me to visit my family in our time of need that day; provided a well-trained medical team who showed compassion and care along the way; and allowed His Spirit to work in us by giving a peace like no other - one that is not earned by human effort, but freely given out of love and divine grace.
UNDESERVED GRACE
It happens again. Anger has risen within me, angry and resentful words flow out of my mouth like water, and the person standing across the room that I love is disheveled once again because of my lack of self control. I put together a half-hearted apology with shallow words, a grimacing face, and with no real sign of remorse or empathy.
And here lies the cycle: I wince at my sin, grovel to God, seek forgiveness from the other person, tell God I won’t do it again, and try my best like it never happened. But is this the vision for change God has for me or you? To just try harder and hope to change by sheer willpower? The vision God has for us is infinitely greater than a cyclical nature of simply “trying harder.” God desires for us to be fully flourishing humans whose innate desire aims toward goodness, beauty, and to true life.
Imagine this, you’re at a table eating your favorite food with your favorite people, great conversations are happening, smiles are across every face, in the midst of it all, you’re content. You’re filled with the kind of contentment that you hope to cherish for a while because these moments come so seldomly. The dinner ends, everyone helps with the cleanup, goodbyes are said, you head to bed, and all is well with your soul. It’s in these types of experiences the goodness of God isn’t just known, but it’s felt with your earthbound God-made hands. This is true goodness from God.
The best part of it all: it’s given freely and joyfully from God. Jesus lays out just how good our Father is, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matt 7:11), “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24). The God of the scriptures who does not give out of reluctance and mere obligation. This God gives because He delights in seeing His children beam with joy. God does this because He is a God whose essence is love. Because God has no end or beginning, there has never been a time that God the Father has not loved God the son, nor a time when God the Son has not loved God the Father, through and with the Holy Spirit. This is a love that isn’t earned, it's given because of identity and not out of effort.
So what does that mean for you and I? It means that in the same way that Jesus is loved by The Father, we are loved the exact same way. Because when God the Father looks at us, one phrase comes to His mind, “This is my beloved son (or daughter), with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17). This is the life our souls ache for. To be loved for who we are rather than what we do. May the grace of God never cease to amaze you for all of your days. Blessings.
PRAYER
God, Your words bring life to my soul. When You speak, my heart wells up with gratitude. When I pray, Your voice calls me back to my soul's true center. Yet it’s Your promises that astound me. Though the heart of man is fickle, Your promises hold true. Despite my mind wandering away from Your love, You never cease to chase after me. Your grace and compassion isn’t provoked by our will power to do good in the world, it’s given simply by the essence of who You are. I know I don’t deserve this type of love, yet You give it to me every morning with a chance to experience Your grace renewed. Why do You do this? So that we would be in awe of Your glory. Why do You pursue us? So that we would experience life and life to the full. So it's to The Father, by the Son, and through the Spirit that I pray, Amen.
May these words be a reminder that God is good. This is a God who hears our prayers, invites us to His table, welcomes the lowly, receives the needy, and whose promises never cease to renew our souls. Blessings.