Grace

I feel like an expression we hear all the time is that in the end God is still good. When you don’t understand what God is doing in your life-remember that he is still good. But what does that mean for our lives?  Well, I believe that it has some pretty big implications on the way we live our life. It means that in the morning we can wake up with a smile on our face because we know who holds our future. When we feel alone it means that we have somebody to run to for comfort. When our heart is broken it gives us assurance that God can restore all of the pain. That no matter what we have done Gods grace is still enough. It means we win in the end-life and the enemy can try and knock us down, can try to fill our head with lies but God is greater. No matter what struggles, trials or hardships come our way, we still come out a winner, washed white as snow, covered by grace, freed from this worlds bondage. So my question to you is are you going to walk in this or are you going to choose to think you know better and try to figure life out yourself Are you going to accept his free grace or keep trying to be good enough, keep trying to fit in and prove to people that you have value?

Speaking of grace, lately I have been thinking a lot about what this word means and the impact that it has on our lives. Two things come to mind. One hit me when I was watching Passion of the Christ with my friend. For those of you have seen this, you know how powerful it is, and that you won’t be able to watch it without crying.  Crying in realization of how great his love is, crying because the loving and kind Jesus we serve went through all that pain and torture for us. It really stuck out to me when they were whipping him, beating his body until it was almost unrecognizable. With every single lash, all I could think is that every stroke was meant for us. Yet he took every single blow, every single lash without complaining. Then later, when he was nailed to that cross, beaten, bloody, torn apart and barely conscious he said,” Forgive them Father, for they know not what they have done.” Now that picture I feel is the epitome of what Grace is. Jesus dying to himself taking every blow without complaining, letting them ridicule him and tear his earthy body apart-yet still saying that he trusted God and knew Gods plan for him to take all of our sins. Taking our deserved punishment and handing us grace, a free and undeserved gift. A new start, a passion in our soul, a love for those around us, the Holy Spirit to guide us, a resurrection that means death has no sting, a hope in a world that cries of injustice and depression. All of this and an infinite amount more all wrapped up in this thing called grace.

Now the other thing that comes to mind is stars. I picture a pitch-black night, laying in a meadow, your breath a small frost, your body seemingly insignificant among the field of flowers. And you look up, the stars setting the sky on fire. You take a deep breath and listen to what God speaks to your heart, “ My child, you see the stars that are bringing light to all darkness, that go on as far as the eye can see. Those stars are a representation of my grace. The grace that I have given you freely so that you might live in freedom. When you see the stars, remember that my grace is the light in the darkness, the proof that even the darkest night comes to an end and like the stars, my grace is there when your life seems empty or directionless. Simply look up and let my grace flood your entire being, let the beautiful truth that you are loved radiate into the depths of your heart. Let its whisper break through every closed off place in your life that you are afraid to let be seen. Walk in this my dear and don’t be afraid to let my grace light you on fire, filling the night sky with compassion, love, mercy and a greater purpose.