Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

God’s grace

Today was a good day — but then what Friday is not a good day!  I was able to get some work done,  celebrated a friend’s 50th birthday, and participated in a moving, live stations of the cross.  I feel accomplished and satisfied.    The Bible opened tonight to Ephesians:

You were dead in your transgressions and sins in which you once lived following the age of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the disobedient.  All of us once lived among them in the desires of our flesh, following the wishes of the flesh and the impulses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved), raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.  For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

Ephesians 2: 1-10

I am reminded of God’s grace, that allows me to do all things.  I am God’s handiwork.  And you are God’s handiwork.  We are both perfectly made.  We are made for good works.  Everything around us is God’s creation, who am I to boast?  Except to boast in the Lord, who truly is almighty and amazing.  Would that I could show one ounce of the love he pours out on us.  Showering us with it every second.  The greatest works on earth, the greatest accomplishments, the greatest day — are but a fleck of dust compared to all that God can do.  And yet, I believe He delights in what we do.  Smiles with us at our happiness, and beams when we do good.  (And I think He laughs at us —  just a bit — when we forget where we come from.)

I am also reminded of one of the powerful truths.  I can not earn my way into heaven — I do not have the power or authority to achieve a spot.  It is only by God’s grace that we are saved.  Thankfully he freely gives us this gift!  As much as I would love to win this with something I have done,  to feel the power (I guess) of accomplishing this, I am grateful for the gift — because I know despite my desire, that I am not worthy or strong enough to earn it on my own.  It is comforting knowing that I don’t have to do it all on my own.  Instead all I have to do is have faith that God will provide me with the grace I need, sufficient grace.

Thank you God for providing us with your grace.  All that I am, I owe to you.  I desperately want to be the being that you want me to be.  Provide me with the strength and grace to know the path. May all of my boasts be in you.  All of my pride be in you and in being your child.  Guide me please (and give me the grace to follow).

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

I am weary

God knows when we need renewal.  It seems like everyone around me is tired and weary.  My friends and family are weak and in pain.  Today I opened the Bible and found strength for our weakness:

Lift up your eyes on high and see who created these: He leads out their army and numbers them, calling them all by name. By his great might and the strength of his power not one of them is missing!

Why, O Jacob, do you say, and declare, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is God from of old, creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny. He gives power to the faint, abundant strength to the weak.

Though young men faint and grow weary, and youths stagger and fall, They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.

Isaiah 40:26-31

Life can certainly make us weary.  Even in our youth, we grow weary.  Weary from making mistakes.  Weary from choosing not to follow God.  Weary from the sins of the world around us.  We stagger and fall along the way.  Sometimes it seems we may never get up.  But God does not grow weary.  And God does not give up on us, even when we give up on ourselves and give up on God.  From the beginning of time, God has provided strength.  “They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.”  It seems like the end of the week is when I am at my weariest. But I hope in the Lord!

Renew my strength, O God!  And renew the strength of those around me!  I want to run (to you, O God) and not grow weary!  Help me to soar on eagles’ wings.

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

A Whale of a Story

I have heard many times the story of Jonah and the whale, or at least I thought I had.  I knew that he was swallowed by a whale and God helped him escape after 3 days and 3 nights.  But apparently I missed much of the story.  Today the Bible opened to the book of Jonah.  And I read the book of Jonah — it is only 2 pages, so don’t be too impressed.  What I did not know, or never paid attention to before, was how Jonah got into the water (and eventually into the whale’s stomach).  Apparently Jonah was traveling in a boat with others when a great storm arose:

Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, “How could you do such a thing!”—They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had told them.  They asked, “What shall we do with you, that the sea may calm down for us?” For the sea was growing more and more stormy.  Jonah responded, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea and then the sea will calm down for you. For I know that this great storm has come upon you because of me.”

Still the men rowed hard to return to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy.  Then they cried to the LORD: “Please, O LORD, do not let us perish for taking this man’s life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, LORD, have accomplished what you desired.”  Then they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea stopped raging.  Seized with great fear of the LORD, the men offered sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

Jonah 1:10-16

Jonah was running from the Lord.  He was physically turning away from God.  And what did God do? He didn’t kill him, although the other sailors thought that was what God wanted, He didn’t harm Jonah at all.  He called him back — He sent Jonah a wake up call.   Jonah answered the wake up call:

From the womb of Sheol I cried for help, and you heard my voice.  You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the sea, and the flood enveloped me; All your breakers and your billows passed over me.  Then I said, “I am banished from your sight!  How will I again look upon your holy temple?” The waters surged around me up to my neck; the deep enveloped me; seaweed wrapped around my head.  I went down to the roots of the mountains; to the land whose bars closed behind me forever, But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD, my God.

Jonah 2:3-7

Jonah went down to the depths, and God brought him back.  He returned him to dry land.  He returned him to safety.  Jonah ran from God, told God no, and God called him back and brought him to safety.  It’s a whale of a story.  It’s our story.  Maybe we don’t physically run from God, but we sometimes (maybe more times than we like to admit) turn our backs on God, we choose to make our own plans rather than follow God’s plan.  God still calls us back.  He is waiting to return us to dry land no matter how far down we go.

Thank you God!

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u

Humbled

So yesterday God directed me to the book of Job, where God allowed satan to test Job.  And I struggled with the idea that God allows satan to test us.  Today, the Bible opened to Philippians.  Paul always helps put things into better perspective for me.

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.

Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2: 5-11

So, yesterday I was upset that God allows us to be tested. Today, I am humbled as I remember that Jesus humbled Himself to take on human likeness, human suffering and was Himself tested.  Who am I to think I deserve better?

Lord,

Help me to learn to be selfless instead of selfish.  Help me to humbly regard others as more important than myself.  Help me to take on the same attitude as Jesus.  Allow me the strength to put my own interests, fears and concerns aside and to trust in your plan.

Through your son Jesus Christ you have shown me the Way.  I want to know more! All glory and praise to you!  You amaze me!

Amen

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 2 Comments

The patience of Job

I may need a little help with this one.  I opened the Bible to Job, read this passage, and then read the next several chapters, trying to discern where God was directing me, and I ended up right back at this passage.  So here goes.

The LORD said to the satan, “Where have you been?” Then the satan answered the LORD and said, “Roaming the earth and patrolling it.”  The LORD said to the satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil.”  The satan answered the LORD and said, “Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?  Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land.  But now put forth your hand and touch all that he has, and surely he will curse you to your face.”  The LORD said to the satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on him.” So the satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Job 1:7-12

After this passage Job is tested and initially passes.  When bad things happen he still worships God stating:

“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back there.  The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!”

But eventually the trials seem to get too much and he cries out to God and seems to lash out at God.

Like Job, it is easy to worship God and be good and upright when things are going well, when we feel surrounded by God’s protection.  The trouble often comes when things are not going well.  When satan gets his hand in the mix.  Loving someone, loving God, requires us to be loving and faithful even when things do not go our way.  We cannot act like the child who says “I’ll be your best friend…  but only if you do this for me.”  That’s not love.  That’s selfishness to get what we want.

Today, we refer to the patience of Job, but Job, the supposed model of patience, was not patient for very long.  So maybe it is ok that we aren’t always patient either.  The key is Job does turn back to God, even after lashing out.

God,

Help me to show true love. Call me back when I fall away.  Lead me not into temptation.  And if it comes, deliver me from evil.

Amen

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Writing on the Wall

The gospel reading at church this morning told about how Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man.

“I was blind but now I see.”

Tonight I opened the Bible to Daniel.  The section was called the “Writing on the Wall” and it talked about how King Belshazzar  needed someone to interpret the writing on the wall:

Daniel answered the king: “You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for the king, and tell what it means. The Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, splendor, and majesty.  Because he made him so great, the nations and peoples of every language dreaded and feared him. Whomever he willed, he would kill or let live; whomever he willed, he would exalt or humble. But when his heart became proud and his spirit hardened by insolence, he was put down from his royal throne and deprived of his glory; he was cast out from human society and his heart was made like that of a beast; he lived with wild asses, and ate grass like an ox; his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God is sovereign over human kingship and sets over it whom he will. You, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this; you have rebelled against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels of his temple brought before you, so that you and your nobles, your consorts and your concubines, might drink wine from them; and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence. But the God in whose hand is your very breath and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify. By him was the hand sent, and the writing set down.

Daniel 5:17-24

As I read this I thought how easy it is to see where the kings went wrong.  How easy it was to see the proverbial “writing on the wall.”  They let their greed and pride get the best of them and as a result lost all of the goodness that God had bestowed.  It is so easy to sit in judgment and say, if God gave me kingship, greatness, splendor and majesty — I would bow to Him, I would glorify Him, I would be humble and grateful.  Wouldn’t I?  Of course as soon as I started typing this thought, I was quickly reminded of all the gifts God does bestow on me.  And all the times I fail to glorify Him, all of the times I am not humble and grateful and all of the times I covet something else, or bow to the “gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone,” Facebook and electronics.  And I thought back to this morning’s gospel reading, “I was blind but now I see.”  Wouldn’t it be nice if every day we could see the writing on our own wall, if we could see, really see what God is trying to tell us, if we could see, really see all of the goodness that God has bestowed on us and be grateful and humble.

Thank you God for all of the gifts you give me.  I know I am not worthy.  Everything I have is because of you.  Please give me the grace and wisdom to see, really see.  Please open my eyes every morning to your grace and mercy.  I am humbled by your greatness and by your merciful love.  Your love is all I need.

I am grateful!  I am satisfied!

 

 

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

God lifts us up for the slam dunk

This morning, I woke up early and decided to open the Bible while I ate some Frosted Mini-Wheats.  The Bible fell open to John chapter 8.  In John 8, Jesus saves the woman from being stoned and reminds her would be assailants:

“Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

I have always found this passage very easy to grasp. People in glass houses should not throw stones.  None of us have any room to talk.  Or are righteous enough to judge others.  Easy to grasp, not always easy to live up to.  But today I read further:

Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone.  How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”  Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.  A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free.”

John 8: 31-36

I read this passage over several times, particularly the last three sentences:  “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.  A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free.” At first it was very troubling to me.  And I was filled with this feeling of hopelessness.  “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.”  Well, we all know that we are all sinners.  So we are all slaves.  “A slave does not remain in a household forever.”  What does that mean?  We don’t remain on earth?  We don’t remain alive?  Of course both of these are true.  We don’t remain in God’s household?  We are not truly part of His house, His kingdom?  This is where, the feeling of hopelessness set in.  Because I know I am a sinner.  I also understand that all humans are sinners and that we really cannot opt out of being a sinner here on earth.  So is it hopeless?  I want to be able to not be a slave to sin.  I want to remain in God’s household forever.  But from everything I read and hear and understand, I cannot choose to do that — I will always sin — so isn’t it hopeless and why do we try not to sin, if we know we will fail?  Is anyone else feeling hopeless with me, now?

So I put the Bible down and thought — maybe I will try to open it again later and it will be a happier place.

Then as I was driving to church, I had a moment of clarity, or at least I think it was. My hopelessness came, because I was thinking only of myself, and my pride was getting in the way saying if I cannot fix it, then it is hopeless.  If I cannot not sin, then  I am a failure.  I was totally missing the last sentence: “So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free.”  Jesus frees us.  Jesus is our hope. I was putting myself ahead of God.  I was thinking like a child: if I can’t do it on my own, then I don’t want it.  I am not able to do it on my own, but God is.  I just need to be humble enough to accept it.  And I need to be humble enough to ask for God’s grace and mercy — to ask Him to free me.

Ok, starting to feel a lot better.  But I was still struggling with a question that has haunted me before.  Why should we keep trying not to sin, even if we know we will fail and continue to sin.  Because God asks us to try.   By trying we show our love for Him. (This time some clarity came from basketball.)  We all root for the under dog.  (I am watching #11 seed Xavier University trying to beat #1 seed Gonzaga right now in the NCAA Elite Eight.)  Why do we like the under dog?  Because they don’t give up — they keep trying even when the odds are against them.  Why do they keep trying?  Because they love the game, they love their team.  God wants us to try.  And understand that when we try, and when we accept our failure and turn to Him, he will lift us up to the rim, so we can finish with the slam dunk.

Jesus,

I love you!  I do not want to sin.  I want to live in your household forever.  I need your help.  I need your grace and your mercy.  Forgive me for my sins.  Break the chains that bind me.  I know that when you lift me up, I will truly be free.  Lord, Lift me up!

Amen

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Joy & Peace

It is late Friday night.  It has been a very long week.  I have been gone since 5 am this morning and just now getting home at 11:30 at night.  The  weekend plans are packed with 3 soccer games, 1 baseball game, 2 meetings and probably 4-5 hours of work, maybe more.  And at some point I need to pack and prepare for a three-day trip.  I am tired.  And there is no foreseeable rest in sight.

I quickly opened the Bible tonight, ready to just crawl into bed and collapse.  Here is what God told me:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!  Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.  Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:4-9

The section is labeled “Joy and Peace”. And that is exactly what I need right now.  God always knows just what to say!  I rejoice in the Lord!  He is mighty indeed and He is near. I will let go of my anxieties (hand them over to God) and in prayer and petition, make my requests known to God.    Lord, I need rest.  I need help.  I look to you.  I put my trust in you. Lead me, guide me, hold me.

Now I just need to think about what is true and honorable and just and pure and lovely and gracious and excellent and worthy of praise.  I think about God because what else is all of these things? GOD.  God and all that He creates.  The beautiful sunrise breaking through the darkness of night.  The new buds on the trees and the daffodils starting to bloom.  The newborn calf and the 5-year old’s laugh.  Friends forged in faith.  LOVE.

Peace

Joy

Thank you God!

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Steadfast

Some days are just not good days.  But I came home and opened the Bible, and this is what I heard:

My child, when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials.

Be sincere of heart and steadfast, and do not be impetuous in time of adversity.

Cling to him, do not leave him, that you may prosper in your last days.

Accept whatever happens to you; in periods of humiliation be patient.

For in fire gold is tested, and the chosen, in the crucible of humiliation.

Trust in God, and he will help you; make your ways straight and hope in him.

Sirach 2:1-6

Just the reminder that I needed!

Lord,

Grant me a steadfast spirit!  I trust in you!

 

 

Posted on by sufficientgrace4u · 1 Comment

Eye-Opening

Today’s Bible  verse was “eye-opening” to say the least:

As they left Jericho, a great crowd followed him.  Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “[Lord,]  Son of David, have pity on us!”  The crowd warned them to be silent, but they called out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!”  Jesus stopped and called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”  They answered him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” Moved with pity, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight, and followed him.

Matthew 20:29-34

Now, I know I have heard before the comparison between the blind men and the rest of us.  We are all, at times, blind to what is right before us.  And sometimes we are blind to God.

But what struck me when I read this passage was the crowd warning them to be quiet.  The blind men were calling out  to Jesus “open our eyes” and the crowd was trying to dissuade them, telling them to shut up.  Sometimes it seems like today’s crowd is still trying to silence those who seek Jesus, those who long to have their eyes opened.

Lord,

Help me to continue to cry out for you, even when the world tries to silence me.  Open my eyes, Lord!

Amen