The Music of Grace

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men" (Titus 2:11)

Finally, after nearly 30 years of trying to follow the LORD, I may be actually 'getting it', that is, beginning to understand God's amazing grace. Just in the nick of time too because I will be leading a Bible study about grace in January. God is a master of timing, so when I awoke at 4:14 am on Friday, December 24 with this scripture and these thoughts going through my mind, I knew the Holy Spirit was helping me prepare for the upcoming lessons by firing me up with an insight I want to share here.

As far as our sin is concerned, God is our Judge, Jury, and Defense Attorney. When we received the grace of God by faith, we received a full pardon. It is not as though we never sinned, it is rather because we sinned and its horrible punishment was exacted from God's Precious Son, Jesus Christ. I knew this in my head of course, but suddenly I felt it and grasped it with my whole being; heart, mind, and will as though it is the dearest truth I have ever believed or heard.

This tiny glimpse of understanding about grace leads me to think of the true story I heard about a master violinist who played in a huge public place. (I think it was Grand Central Station). Dressed in nondescript clothing, he played the finest music on the choicest instrument, a rare Stradivarius, with the greatest expertise, and yet only about seven, out of the thousands of people who passed him by, stopped or responded to the music. To me, God's wondrous grace is like that music: It is undeserved, it is beautiful and awesome, it is free for those who will receive it.

Will I respond to God's grace? Will you? We must give a response. It has to be our love, our humble gratitude, and our willingness to live and die for Jesus; He who came to earth for the express purpose of bringing salvation to all men through faith by way of His matchless grace. Donna

This I Know

I have been thinking about God's love. Of all the things I know about the Almighty, the fact that He loves me is the hardest to grasp. After all, I know me. I am well aware of all the failures and wrong motives, of the fears and anxieties, the pride and the vanities that exist in my mind and color everything I do and think. Knowing all of the reasons why God should not love me makes His love even more precious.

How has God shown me that He loves me? I have to start with the cross. As I read the scriptures, I can follow God's plan to provide a deliverer throughout the Old Testament. In the gospels and New Testament I read of Jesus coming just as planned and of His dying for the sins of mankind. I read of the church and all the believers who received grace to believe in God's great salvation. I join them by faith for I know I need to be saved daily!

The enormity of God's love and the fact that His love involved sacrifice, speaks volumes to me. Because He loved us so much, the Father gave His Son knowing what would be required of Jesus. The Messiah came to Earth as a screaming, little bundle of flesh, having left His heavenly home to identify with us and save us from the curse of sin. I take refuge in this great deliverance and praise God for expressing His love through His Son, Jesus!

Other ways God has shown His love is by answering my prayers. The No answers always prove to be blessings in the long run. The Yes answers far out number the No's however. The love of God lets me learn how to live by allowing me to struggle, but giving me grace to get through to the other side. The love of God restrains me from doing what I should not do as I listen to the Holy Spirit. His merciful love leads me around pitfalls and through disappointments. His Presence, through His word, through preaching, music and through other people assures me of His love. The fact that He provides for me daily and guides me in decision making also lets me know He cares.

So, I am trying to tell you, that God's love is available, inexhaustible, free and yours to receive through His Son, Jesus, whose birth we are celebrating soon. Receive Him into your heart today, resting in His love is marvelous! Doma

Only A Baby

That the Son God, Jesus Christ, became one of us is amazing; the way He became one of us is marvelous and startling.

Only A Baby?

Who would have thought that one small being could matter to the world?

Who else would have planned the last detail,

The perfect answer to the dying race?

Who would care so much, and give and give?

Who would dare so much that we might live?

Who would? Who would?

Only a baby?

Who could bring men to their knees,

Living message of love?

Who else could have offered the perfect antidote,

The salvation for the sin-drenched soul?

Who could come in such a humble state,

Endure the pain, the shame, the hate?

Who could be the branch, the bridge, the vine,

The King, the Shepherd, the New Wine,

The broken bread, the offered Lamb?

Who could? Who could?

Have a blessed Christmas, Doma

Love Beyond Understanding

Words fail me as I contemplate God's great love for us. Having studied and read scripture for many years, I am still overwhelmed by what God actually did in sending His Son and why He did it.

Man's sin must have been repulsive and ugly beyond belief to God. How could He bear to even consider mankind? Yet the LORD loved us. His unchanging plan is to make us His own. So we read in the Old Testament of example after example, time after time how God wanted man to see what sin did; how it separated people from Him. He sent His law through Moses. He spoke through prophets, judges, and circumstances. Still, even after seeing great deliverance and victories, man just did not stay the course and obey God. They followed their neighbors' gods and faded into their neighbors' culture. Compromise and 'just getting along' lead to God's judgement upon His people.

Read the scriptures to plainly see it was indeed impossible for men to please God and obey Him totally. Even amazing heroes of the Bible struggled and failed, like David, Samson, Solomon. We are allowed to see them and their failings to help us know how much we need a Savior to atone for our sins. If it was possible for man to be saved through obedience to the law, then Christ died for nothing! So this was the plan from the foundation of the earth. Jesus, taking on flesh, sharing our humanity with the emotions, struggles and trials - all that meant even when it meant death. Just so we could receive God's love and forgiveness.

Ephesians and many other books of the Bible tell us that this side of the cross, when God sees a believer, one who has a true relationship with Jesus Christ and bears the seal of the Holy Spirit, God looks upon one He loves dearly. He is seeing the image of His son, Jesus, in us. That is how He now sees us, as blameless and righteous, we who stand before Him covered with His love. So that is why I am astounded by what God has done in sending Jesus. There is truly no greater love than the Father's love for us! Let His love bless and enfold you this Christmas season. Doma