Grace

The piture above is of the Catherial Cefalu located in Italy

It doesn’t matter our personality type or temperament for our Creator to take great delight in lavishing His extravagant grace on us.

Grace turns up the corners of our mouth up when things in our life are turning upside down. Grace is when whatever we need most comes to us the moment we need it. Like when we reach middle age and finally know our way around, we need grace because by then we won’t feel much like going! Grace has sometimes made me feel lighthearted because it has appeared to me in some instances as humor and fun.

In the rooms of my home there are several empty containers of different sizes and shapes. There is a copper pitcher used by the sink. A hand-glazed pitcher is decoration in the bathroom. An earth tone colored pot sits on a shelf in the living room. An odd shaped jug serves as a bookend in the study.

These various containers are a metaphor in my life. I am an empty vessel just waiting to be filled. As I have thirsted for grace I noticed that these containers in my home are equipped with a pour spout. They are God’s way of telling me that He wants me to pour out His fullness into the lives of others. It made me wonder as to how effective I have been doing that.

Surely, God’s intention is that I overflow when He fills me to the brim! It doesn’t take a monumental feat to exercise grace toward others. I have learned that it can be as simple as letting someone ahead of me in line at the grocery store. “Grace always remembers that it is not your job to get people to like you, it is your job to like people”. We are only a decision away from pouring out grace.

Here are some expressions of grace: “You did a good job.”, “I was wrong.”, “What do you think?”, “Thank you.” We can even say these things to ourselves and cut us some slack. “Everyone who got where they are had to begin where they were, including me!” “Many people go through life running from something that isn’t after them.” “They move too fast and yell too loud.”

Emily Dickerson wrote, “The soul should stand ajar.” Grace is all around and within us. We need to stand still with our soul ajar. Notice grace, appreciate it and drink deeply as it flows into your open soul. From your fullness in Christ, pour out His grace on others.

John 1:16 (New International Version)
16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.

Grace Like Rain – Todd Agnew

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see so clearly
Chorus:
Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me
Hallelujah, all my stains are washed away, washed away
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Chorus
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing Your praise
Than when we first begun