Pondering Grace

Today I am pondering the grace of God.

I am stricken by just how arbitrary and subjectively applied is the hand of God. He relates at such an intimate, intricately involved level in our lives, that even from the depths of personal knowledge of our own experience, we cannot pretend to completely know and comprehend the mind of God.

Of course God lays out some beautifully formulaic response patterns for us to understand and follow as we relate to Him in our pursuit of the Almighty God. We know that if we admit Jesus as the only Son of the One True God, come to Him in confession of and repentance from sin, giving our lives to follow Jesus Christ, that He will forgive our sins and save us for all eternity. We know that as we approach Him in contrite humility that He responds with love and care. We know that as we follow His purposes, that His provisions will be granted for the accomplishing of His purposes... and that last one is the tricky one, isn't it.

Can I see tomorrow, or format the tides of waves and synapses?

Can I hold sway over rulers and movements, or order the sun and moon to cooperate or withhold light itself?

Can I truly ensure even simple probabilities into certainties?

Indeed it is only God who sees; only God who controls; only God who directs, ensures, withholds or provides.

In the end, I am left simply with faith and dependence. I am left humble upon my knees to follow and apply my all to not turn aside from that follow-ship. How gracious is God Who saves me as I fall along the path over and over again. How gentle His mantle as He stoops low to lift me from the ditches of my own creation. How patient He is to wait upon my tears, and console the mourning of my heart. How steadfast He is to give the morning of provision from the night of my own failings.

We live in a day that is not unlike those which have come before it. It is a day when we, as human beings, seek to glorify the beauty of being "human." The problem is that it is not so beautiful a condition in this fallen state in which we find ourselves. I purpose and propose that we exist to celebrate being the servants of the Almighty God, and nothing less. I purpose and propose that life is to be lived for the glory of the Unseen God, and not for the posterity of human existence. I purpose and propose that it is not about me, except that my failings have been the cause of excruciation upon the Son of God. I purpose and propose that we live to the glory of that Christ alone.

Who can know the mind of God? Surely, only God Himself... and that is where I shall go to find my next step.

For indeed, His "word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (ref)

From on my knees I cry, "Holy!" From humility I see the light of His provision. From the pathway of His purposes I see victories to His glory.

For Christ! For the Kingdom! For His Purposes!

This, my cry of freedom today and into eternity.

In the peace of Christ,

Pastor John

ref: Psalm 119:105