Witnessing Grace

I hope that this finds you in good spirits. This life meets us with many obstacles, but with each of them God is ready to meet us with his grace and the invitation to trust his true character. My pastor challenged me two weeks ago to keep my ears and eyes open ready to receive a blessing. Its so easy to loose focus, when we have so many things running through our heads at once. Most often I am running ahead thinking about the future with the present playing second fiddle. Or in some instances-- so focused and wrapped up in the past or yesterday's news that I don't recognize the many opportunities around me. I failed to recognize the people God put in my path to bless and build his present kingdom. What God's desires most is fellowship with his people. We were created to worship and bring praise to his name. If God desires so much a fellowship with us, how much so does he desire us to fellowship with his people? For the longest this has been a completely foreign concept. Our relationship with God should be so personal that his overwhelming grace and mercy causes us to relate in the same way to others. Its hard to recognize the living God when we are preoccupied with ourselves, failing to see the present as his Gift and the opportunity to love without judging. Jesus came and showed mercy to the worst of sinners. Liars, adulterers, fornicators he managed to use the present opportunity to love them, but also teaching them through a walking breathing example of righteousness. Those that were willing seized this opportunity to begin a new path of abundant living." I have come that you may have life, and life more abundantly John 10:10". The worst of the worst began to witness the Grace that Jesus offers to all who will simply trust and believe him. They saw his mercy and abandoned their former ways. It was his mercy and not his harshness that caused them to behave better. It was true when Jesus came and it is true today, that what the world needs most is love, and forgiveness. Jesus is calling each of us to seize this opportunity. He calls each of us to have open eyes and ears so that we may receive the blessing of his grace!

Never in Vain

Goodness it feels so long since I have posted my last blog. With everything going on I will admit keeping up with my blog has become secondary. Not just that, I like to write from conviction and though it seems that with the recent storms I would have a relevant message to tell, in truth it has a been a challenge to unpack common themes and lessons to live by. One thing for certain is the God is incredibly good and though we were displaced refugees, he still managed to bring about order to a sometimes chaotic situation. In the aftermath of the storm, I couldn't help but think that the inconvenience of having to drive miles to get gas and a cell phone signal were paradise conditions considering the recent natural disasters in Hati and Japan. Although the devastation was severe and many lost EVERYTHING, we didn't have the threat of nuclear contamination looming over our heads. Moreover, it caused families to reconnect and neighbors to lend a helping hand. Through the storm, God had a great purpose in mind.

Never does God allow for us to go through things in vain. It's like Paul says" All things work together for the Good of those who love the lord, and are called according to his great purpose" Romans 8:28. Yesterday I was talking with a co-worker on this very subject and remembered the story of how Abraham followed God's instructions to offer his only son, Isaac, as a living sacrifice. God told Abraham to offer his son, whom he loved very much ( SOUND FAMILIAR!) Just a little bit of backstory-- Abraham and Sarah had much difficulty conceiving and were of old age when Abraham was born. God promised them that they would have a son. What I love about this story is God's intervention and foreshadowing. Right at the moment when Abraham was fully prepared to offer this great sacrifice ( imagine waiting years to attain something and then to give it away) an angel of God stepped in and told him " Do not lay a hand on the boy"Genesis 22:12 . Abraham loved his son but obeyed God and tied Isaac to a piece of wood in the similar way Jesus was nailed to the wooden cross on Calvary. God offered Jesus his only son as a living sacrifice--defeating the power of death and offering eternal life to all who believe in Jesus name. What Abraham did was not in vain. Yet it was just a preview of what was yet to come. God gave us insight into this plan long before it came to fruition. I am truly amazed at God's love for his people. He makes promises and keeps them. He gives us foresight into the future and opportunities to recognize his great love. All things work together, even those things that seem counter to our plans. Nothing is ever in vain. God is the same today forever and always. To him I give all glory, honor, and praise.