A wonderful story I read and would like to share during this day:
Ever tried to hug someone who doesn't know how to hug back? You go for a warm bear hug, and you're met with a one-armed, lead-with-the-hip side hug- if you're lucky, you might also get a pat on the back and a mumbled, "love you too, bro." It's awkward, like hugging a mannequin.
That's how Christians often often react when grace comes at them. God tries to smother us with a great big grace embrace, but we don't know how to hug back. So we stand there, stiff and uncomfortable, waiting for it to be over so we can go back to our task of trying to deserve His love. remember the parable of the prodigal son? After wasting his fathers possesions, and nearly dead with hunger, the boy musters his courage to return home and beg to become a servant in his father's household. That's the best he can hope for; it's all he deserves. But while he is still a long way off, his father sees him, runs to meet him and embraces him. Talk about awkward. In those days, fathers didn't run or express that kind of emotion in public-especially to a son who had dishonored the family.The son- just like the legalistic audience listening to Jesus- doesn't know how to respond to his fathers lavish display of affection. He tries to give a rehearsed speech to convince his father to recieve him based on merit. But his father laughs and cuts him off, then throws a party for him. This loving father doesn't care about merit; he cares about his son.
That's grace. It's surprising, overwhelming and so good it's uncomfortable.
Most of us don't have trouble believing that God could save us by grace.We know we are sinners, and that Jesus died for us- that he loved us first. So how do we come up with the idea that as Christians we now have to earn everything? Why do we worry that God is impatient with our failings, that He won't use us if we mess up, or that we have to accomplish amazing feats to impress Him? Christianity is way more about God than about us. We loved because he first loved us. he is the initiator; we are the responders. He gave to us; therefore we give back. Grace can't be a backup plan in case our good works fail. Grace is the foundation of our good works. Sure, Paul tells us in Philippians to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.' But it's the next phrase that makes this command possible. "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasue"(Philippians 2:12-13)
Pride is one of the greatest enemies of grace. We want to be good enough; we want to earn everything- that appeals to our egos. But we need to learn how to recieve so that we will be able to give back out of the abundance of what God has given us. Of course God expects great things from us. But like any loving father, his definition of "great" is somewhat relative.
My four-year-old son, zion, plays soccer. Actually, that over-stating it. He runs around a feild with a bunch of other four-year-olds, and once ina while someone accidentally bumps into the ball. The other day i was at practice- not a game, just practice- and the ball squirted out of the pack and towards the opposing goal. Then I saw Zion break out of the herd, chasing the ball, and something came over me. Now, soccer practice for four-year-olds is essentially a cheap subsitute for daycare, so I was the only parent on the sidelines. But when Zion had a chance to score a goal, you would have thought it was the World Cup of preschoolers. i ran down the sidelines, screaming, "Kick the ball, Zion, kick the ball!" The coach probably thought I needed therapy, but I didn't care. This was my son, and he was awesome. The a miracle: He kicked the ball, and it bounced off his ankle into the goal. next thing he knew, I was swooping him up onto my shoulders, parading him around the field and proclaiming how great he was. And I was sincere.
Some of us are way too emotional-too up and down." I sinned and God's mad at me." Ever heard of of the foreknowledge of God? He knows- and has always known- about our future failures. if He loves us now, knowing what we'll do wrong tomorrow, why are we doubting? If He loved us last week, he loves us this week, too. Repent, receive it and move on.
Grace is a term we throw around a lot but hardly understand, much less know what to do with it. It's like a gift your Aunt bought you, and watches you while you open it. You don't have any idea what it is, but she's asking if you like it. "Yes! Totally! Exactly what i wanted." The you put it in the closet, because you don't know what else to do with it. My all-time favorite definition of grace is this: "God meeting us at our point of need in the Person of Jesus Christ." John 1:16, speaking of Jesus, states, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.' Grace isn't an abstract, impersonal doctrine. It isn't a tendency of God. It's a Person: Jesus.
If grace is a concept, we can ignore it or take advantage of it. But when we realize it a Person, our whole perspective changes. When we look into the eyes of grace and embrace grace-when we see Him and feel His relentless love- we aren't motivated toward sin but toward righteousness. It's time to stop struggling in the arms of forgiveness, to stop making excuses and impossible promises, to stop striving to prove to a God who already knows the truth about us. Just embrace grace.- Judah Smith
Ever tried to hug someone who doesn't know how to hug back? You go for a warm bear hug, and you're met with a one-armed, lead-with-the-hip side hug- if you're lucky, you might also get a pat on the back and a mumbled, "love you too, bro." It's awkward, like hugging a mannequin.
That's how Christians often often react when grace comes at them. God tries to smother us with a great big grace embrace, but we don't know how to hug back. So we stand there, stiff and uncomfortable, waiting for it to be over so we can go back to our task of trying to deserve His love. remember the parable of the prodigal son? After wasting his fathers possesions, and nearly dead with hunger, the boy musters his courage to return home and beg to become a servant in his father's household. That's the best he can hope for; it's all he deserves. But while he is still a long way off, his father sees him, runs to meet him and embraces him. Talk about awkward. In those days, fathers didn't run or express that kind of emotion in public-especially to a son who had dishonored the family.The son- just like the legalistic audience listening to Jesus- doesn't know how to respond to his fathers lavish display of affection. He tries to give a rehearsed speech to convince his father to recieve him based on merit. But his father laughs and cuts him off, then throws a party for him. This loving father doesn't care about merit; he cares about his son.
That's grace. It's surprising, overwhelming and so good it's uncomfortable.
Most of us don't have trouble believing that God could save us by grace.We know we are sinners, and that Jesus died for us- that he loved us first. So how do we come up with the idea that as Christians we now have to earn everything? Why do we worry that God is impatient with our failings, that He won't use us if we mess up, or that we have to accomplish amazing feats to impress Him? Christianity is way more about God than about us. We loved because he first loved us. he is the initiator; we are the responders. He gave to us; therefore we give back. Grace can't be a backup plan in case our good works fail. Grace is the foundation of our good works. Sure, Paul tells us in Philippians to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.' But it's the next phrase that makes this command possible. "For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasue"(Philippians 2:12-13)
Pride is one of the greatest enemies of grace. We want to be good enough; we want to earn everything- that appeals to our egos. But we need to learn how to recieve so that we will be able to give back out of the abundance of what God has given us. Of course God expects great things from us. But like any loving father, his definition of "great" is somewhat relative.
My four-year-old son, zion, plays soccer. Actually, that over-stating it. He runs around a feild with a bunch of other four-year-olds, and once ina while someone accidentally bumps into the ball. The other day i was at practice- not a game, just practice- and the ball squirted out of the pack and towards the opposing goal. Then I saw Zion break out of the herd, chasing the ball, and something came over me. Now, soccer practice for four-year-olds is essentially a cheap subsitute for daycare, so I was the only parent on the sidelines. But when Zion had a chance to score a goal, you would have thought it was the World Cup of preschoolers. i ran down the sidelines, screaming, "Kick the ball, Zion, kick the ball!" The coach probably thought I needed therapy, but I didn't care. This was my son, and he was awesome. The a miracle: He kicked the ball, and it bounced off his ankle into the goal. next thing he knew, I was swooping him up onto my shoulders, parading him around the field and proclaiming how great he was. And I was sincere.
Some of us are way too emotional-too up and down." I sinned and God's mad at me." Ever heard of of the foreknowledge of God? He knows- and has always known- about our future failures. if He loves us now, knowing what we'll do wrong tomorrow, why are we doubting? If He loved us last week, he loves us this week, too. Repent, receive it and move on.
Grace is a term we throw around a lot but hardly understand, much less know what to do with it. It's like a gift your Aunt bought you, and watches you while you open it. You don't have any idea what it is, but she's asking if you like it. "Yes! Totally! Exactly what i wanted." The you put it in the closet, because you don't know what else to do with it. My all-time favorite definition of grace is this: "God meeting us at our point of need in the Person of Jesus Christ." John 1:16, speaking of Jesus, states, "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.' Grace isn't an abstract, impersonal doctrine. It isn't a tendency of God. It's a Person: Jesus.
If grace is a concept, we can ignore it or take advantage of it. But when we realize it a Person, our whole perspective changes. When we look into the eyes of grace and embrace grace-when we see Him and feel His relentless love- we aren't motivated toward sin but toward righteousness. It's time to stop struggling in the arms of forgiveness, to stop making excuses and impossible promises, to stop striving to prove to a God who already knows the truth about us. Just embrace grace.- Judah Smith