12.13.2007

Grace in Abundance

1 Peter 1:1-2 "To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance."

The greek word for grace is charis (χάρις), what a wonderful word that grace is. Oh how we strive to get it right, we strive to be perfect, we won't teach until we get it all together. Grace is defined as "good will, loving-kindness, favour", "of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues". He kindles us to "exercise". Exercise is the building up over time. If you exercise you are going to see change, if you exercise consistently, it becomes easier. So what is the difference between exercise and strive? Oh I think that you will agree that it is as vast and as wide as it was from the left hand to the right hand of Jesus on the cross.

Exercise is to put through exercises, or forms of practice or exertion, designed to train, develop, condition, or the like. Strive is to exert oneself vigorously; try hard; To struggle or fight forcefully; contend. According to Peter, "who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit", we are chosen and the work of the Spirit is what does the work. So what role do we play? We take the revelation of knowledge and we exercise it, practice it, and learn from it. Striving would be to think that we had to be perfect in every struggle and walk away with a trophy every time then falling into condemnation upon ourselves for being human and making mistakes. Champion horse riders fell more times then they got it right, surfers fell more times then they got it right. The difference long term and the key to grace is the willing to get back on the ride.

God doesn't expect us to be perfect, he truly doesn't. Our inbox is always full of new lessons, there is always something new to exercise, there is always a new revelation waiting for us. He created us in Him image and the first thing we did was fall. We walked in perfection with him for a very short period of time before Satan came along. The newness wore off rather quickly didn't it? Just like buying a new car, it was perfect on the lot, but as soon as you sign the papers and drive it away, it's value is decreased and the more you drive it, the more it decreases. That is Satan's plan for us. To ride us into the ground until we feel that we are so depreciated that we are useless, he wants to set us in the junkyard and let us rust. Then we won't be effective, then we won't drive around throwing Holy Ghost hand grenades, we won't make an impact and we won't practice.

My Grandfather G. taught my mother this saying when she was little, "Good, better, best, never let it rest, until good is better and better is best". He was teaching her to practice. She wasn't going to get it right the first time, she was going to have to practice, she was going to have to yoke up with a teacher, let them guide her, make mistakes, learn from them and then try again. If he had wanted her to strive it would have been more of a "You know this, now do it!" and then she would fail and beat herself up because she didn't do it perfectly.

We are all in practice. A friend yesterday was talking about her Doctor and said "that's why they call it a practice, they don't have all the answers". Yeap, you are right. But I love the practice, I am grateful for the skinned knees and the tears on my pillow because it means that I am still practicing and I am not in the junk heap yet. The Holy Spirit is still working and I am still trying. That in and of itself is a blessings. I didn't give up, I may have slowed down, I may not be able to check it off my to do list, but I am still moving forward in my growth because it still hurts.

Marriage takes practice. You have heard that before. You can either keep practicing with the husband you have or you can get a new one and try the process all over again. No matter, it will still take practice. I still have to practice submission, I still have to practice not getting insulted, I still have to practice not picking up someone else's offense and just because I get it right once doesn't mean I won't have to practice it again. That's the gift that grace affords us.

Matthew 25:21, ""His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'"

It's the journey, not the destination that God is interested in. Through perseverance the snail was obedient to heed the call to get on the ark. He left some slime along the way, but he was there when the doors shut.

Father God, thank you for the slime in our lives. Thank you for your grace that we can continue to move forward with you even when we fail our lessons. Father even as you are training us, we are practicing. We are falling forward with every attempt to wrap our brains and our flesh around your teaching. Father, I haven't done it right every time. Only you know of the places I have failed, the times that you were teaching me the hard lessons and I thank you for the challenge. Father, it hurts to fall, it hurts to fail you but I know that your grace and mercy is new everyday. That you watch me fall, that you offer your hand to me and help me stand back up on my feet. Lord, your daily bread is precious, your daily teachings are priceless. You love us enough to teach us, you love us enough to continue to call us to You. I sit in awe of your love for me, for the times that I thought I had to nail the landing, fell on my butt and you wrapped me yet again in your arms of grace. Your pride is in us as we continue to practice. You set the bar with Jesus, you have given us your Word as our text and you have given us the Holy Spirit to be our teacher. Thank you Lord, for your mercy, your grace and your faith in us even after generations of failing. You are all powerful, all merciful and all loving. I praise you. Father I love you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.


Check out this video that a friend sent me yesterday. I really loved it.
www.dashpoemmovie.com


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