Grace is freely given, and we stand ready to be lavished when grace comes in the form of free flowing blood from a cross we could never bear, or a well spring of forgiveness to blot out our shame. Yet grace often remains an unwanted gift. Instead of opening our hands to receive God's graciousness, we stubbornly hide knotted fingers behind our backs, wanting grace in a different package than the one offered, arguing that the gift is, in fact, not grace at all.
What does grace look like exactly? Is it packaged neatly in brightly colored paper, trimmed with ribbon poised and curled? Sometimes. Often, though, its wrapped in sorrow, bound tightly with difficulty. Lonely in its appearance. Uninviting and Austere.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? -Matthew 7:11
Can you uncurl knotted fingers long enough to accept His gifts? Can you look past your circumstance and see your way through to Him? Ask Him to hold your hand?
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? -Luke 11:11-13
Last night I dreamed of Ethan running, abandoned and free --the way children run when they forget parents are watching. His face upturned to the sky, his legs free of scars and pain. It was one of those dreams that you don't remember when you awaken. Instead, it washes over you unexpected, details falling into remembrance. It met me early this morning, harsh and unfair. Where's Grace to be found in crooked limb, in painful step, in watching sister dance and brother run? In dreams yet unrealized?
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? -Psalm 56:8
Tears have a way, a Grace-like way, of bringing me running to my Father. "Help him; heal him, " I managed to say. "Make your Grace sufficient for him --for me."
At school today, I recount the dream. "Ah, you dreamed of hope," Joy Mac says.
And there it was: GRACE.
Isn't it all Grace? The pain that sends us to our knees. The promises of healing. The slow fading of scars.
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. -Hebrews 13:15
(Titling the blog, I, at first, purposefully omitted the words "Fibular Hemimelia" that have donned every page. "That's not what this one's about," I thought. That still, small voice, however, told me instead: "That's exactly what this is about, Sindy." Grace.)
God showed me so much Truth one time through specific verses (after much prayer and fasting)- the type of Truth that forever sets a person free from chains of bondage -- The Truth pertained to His Grace:
ReplyDelete"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him: for he careth for you. *Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom He may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all GRACE, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, AFTER that ye have SUFFERED a WHILE, make you PERFECT, STABLISH, STRENGTHEN, SETTLE YOU.
By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that THIS IS THE TRUE GRACE OF GOD WHEREIN YE STAND." (1 Peter 5: 6-10 & 12)
We, His children, will experience trials and sufferings in this walk, but He promises to use those trials to perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle us -- and as the Word says -- this is the TRUE GRACE OF GOD! What HOPE, SINDY!
Joy
Oh how I need to be Perfected, Established, Strengthened, and Settled! How I need a God of such perfect Gifts ... perfect Grace!
DeleteI remember talking with you a few years ago, and you said something that has forever changed my view of God. You said, "God's will is perfect. Not just the good, but the bad too." Oh that we as Christians could keep that in mind constantly. It's advice that has helped me through so much. Maybe we need to remember that not only is God's will perfect, but his grace is perfect as well. Thank you for being a sister in Christ who says what is laid on her heart. God knew you would say it when I could take it in my heart and digest it and that I would remember it later in a time of need when I wouldn't have been able to accept it if heard for the first time.
ReplyDeleteGod is so good Rea ... and only through difficult circumstances have I come to know Him more. He continues to teach me how to willingly accept All His gifts of grace ...
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading about your trust in God. You have a boldness to the way you speak about him- press on!
ReplyDelete