Truly Amazing Grace
“…be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
2 Timothy 2:1
It is a rare blessing to have someone enter your sphere and make a life-altering difference in it. For me, that person was my cousin Grace. Though connected by generations, we met for the first time in college. Those that remember her recall that Grace immediately put a person at ease with her captivating smile, quick wit, warm laugh, and engaging conversation. She was always relaxed and free-flowing. Life was buoyant in Grace’s presence. We spent countless hours together, and I enjoyed everything about Grace, except for one concern. She had a chronic illness. When Grace got sick, she really got sick and I would usually get the call; hence, our many hours together included extended time in the hospital emergency department.
I would sit there helpless and feeling quite inadequate, as she would try to make me laugh. It was so hard to watch her suffer. In fact, those memories propelled me into and through medical school to make a difference in someone’s life, as I felt I wasn’t able to help her. Grace was a very special and truly unique individual who I remembered fondly as I later cared for chronically ill children as a pediatrician.
In the spiritual realm, the concept of grace is also very special and truly unique, and inadequately defined. One unknown author coined the acronym God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Another described grace as unmerited favor.
One evening, as I received a memorable message from the mother of one of my former patients, I contemplated God’s grace in my life. I thought it quite amazing that despite my inadequacies, my shortcomings, and my outright failures in life, God still pours out His unmerited favors on me. Despite my fear, bitterness, shame and my lack of recognition of His fulfilled promises, His mercies to me “are new every morning”. Not one day goes by that I can’t exclaim along with the prophet Jeremiah, “Great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23)!” This, to me, is the definition of grace. Despite me, God still blesses me and uses me to bless others. This is amazing to me—this is amazing grace.
The apostle Paul begins and closes each of his epistles with one sentiment—the grace of the Lord be with you. He recognizes the utmost importance of this aspect of God, and how fruitless life is without it. I, for one, need a fresh outpouring of it each day, as it makes a life-altering difference.
Holding Me Up
Surely He has borne our griefs
Isaiah 53:4–5 (NKJV)
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
Marvelous Things
Who does great things, and unsearchable,
Job 5:9 (NKJV)
Marvelous things without number.
Travel Logs
Thy statutes have been my songs
Psalm 119:54 (KJV)
In the house of my pilgrimage.
Wonderful Things
Let them praise the Lord for his great love
Psalm 107:21 (NLT)
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
Jesus, the Cornerstone
“Have you not even read this Scripture:
Mark 12:10-11 (NAS)
‘The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the chief corner stone;
This came about from the Lord,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Liberty for All
I will walk in freedom,
for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
Psalm 119:45 (NLT)
Outdoor School
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
Matthew 13:1-2 (ESV)
God Will Lift You Up
Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10, NASB