Grace
is the Gift
“I
do not understand the mystery of grace—only that it meets us where
we are but does not leave us where it found us.”
Anne
Lamott
One
of the least understood gifts of the spirit is grace. It cannot be
demanded, earned, manufactured or owned. You can't strive hard enough
to be worthy it, or give it away to others. It is purely and strictly
a gift of God. It comes as it will, and leaves us dismayed but
grateful. Usually our first thought is, 'how did this happen?'
Grace
is the feeling of being loved, forgiven, and provided for in spite of
our transgressions, and in spite of the fact that we ourselves do not
easily love or forgive. We stand before grace knowing that we have
done nothing to deserve it. The force of such a gift is humbling to
say the very least. Grace has the power to change our hearts and
bring us to our knees.
The
experience of grace puts us on the fast track to a deeper faith. When
we open our eyes and really see just how blessed we are, how truly
and incredibly wonderful is our world and our place in it, grace is
the only valid explanation. We did nothing to make it this way, and
in fact have done much to harm it, but here it is—every day the sun
comes up, the birds sing, the rain falls down and the earth provides.
We are the recipients of God's grace. The only appropriate response
is humility and gratitude.
In
the spirit,
Jane
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