Grace, Grace and More Grace

I find it interesting how the week of Easter, the week we celebrate the greatest demonstration of grace in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, became a week when I needed a lot of grace.

I provide for my family in ways my husband can't right now just like he provides for our family in ways that I can't. So here's what happened: I had pretty bad hit in my job this week. It really rocked me even though God's provision in our lives has been exceedingly abundant. I've seen God bless my job in ways that I truly don't deserve... grace. I've seen God connect me with people I never thought I'd ever get the chance to meet. It's mind-blowing! Yet, I know where it all comes from... it's just God's grace.  It's unmerited. Undeserved. Unearned.

As I look back at this week, I can see moments when I failed in resting in the promise of God's grace.  Unbelievable right? Yep, I am human. I was wounded and carried that wound around like a badge for a few days. Have any of you thought to yourself, "I didn't deserve that"? That's what I thought.

I just taught a few weeks ago on not focusing on the unfairness of life but on the goodness of God. I preached that at a conference. I think I even made that my Facebook status one day, "don't allow the circumstances of life to speak louder than the truth of the Gospel." Ummm... that's my own quote.

I didn't do a very good job with that this week.

Let me just say this: There's hope people... there's so much hope...

No matter what we fail at, what circumstances get thrown into our lives, there is something great going to come of it. How do I know that? Well, here's God's promise:

 Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

When God says "all" He means "all".  Not just some things but in ALL things God works for good. Not because we are good but because He is good. He doesn't work it out because we are perfect; He works it out because He is perfect and He is gracious. All we have to do is love Him. That's it. Love Him and His grace gets poured all over us.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Ahhh, so much freedom in this passage. His grace is sufficient. His power is made perfect in weakness. Whew!! Come on ya'll... we think we have to do it right every time and what God is saying is He knows we aren't going to do it right every time. Are you surprised? We. Aren't. Perfect. Someone reading this just got set free. 

We must believe when God says He is going to work it all out that He is. We have to believe the Great Redeemer is going to redeem the mess we make and the trials we face. 

Its everyone's battle... Believing God's truth or not believe His truth.  It was my battle this week. Is God going to redeem this?  YES!!! Why? Because He is so good, so loving, so gracious and man, does He love His kids!   

Love in the Flesh

Every time He heard the soldier draw back the whip He braced for the pain. Then He felt the tearing of His skin. Those who watched jeered and mocked him. Taunting Him. 

"King of the Jews!" 

It happened again. Then again. And again. Bracing, tearing, mocking... Pain unimaginable. 

Rejected by the people He loved. If only these soldiers laughing at him, the one swinging the whip, those excited to see His pain, knew why He did this, it was for them. Love in the flesh.

Love held Him up. Love was Him. Love when He was rejected. Love when those who laughed at this innocent man took on their justice. Love in the flesh.  

Thorns pierced his brow. Blood trickled into His eyes. Yet, love remained. Nothing changed about this man. He was love. 

"Carry the Cross!" they yelled.

His endurance was waning but this was His destiny... holding onto His cross, their cross, carrying the wood He would soon be nailed to... Done out of love. God made man. Love in the flesh.

His love was unstoppable. 

He made it to Calvary, The Place of the Skull, the place of love. 

Love... Nail... Love... Nail... Love... Nail... Love!

"Father, forgive them!"

Love.

Up on the cross as He tried to breath. He was forsaken. Rejected by man and God. Alone. Love in the flesh. 

It was finished. Justice. Their justice, He bore it in love.

One last breath. 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16