Grace, A Sunday Reflection

 

Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace. – Jerry Bridges

Stayed home from church this morning, complements of a bad sinus headache, but it did allow me a moment of pause from what has been a very busy week. I decide to crack open a new journal (a gift from a Christmas or two ago) my Bible and jumpstart a discipline that I have gotten away from.

The discipline is this…I like to ask Father God for a word (or phrase) for the day and then pray and see where He leads. It’s a terrific way to spend time with Him and helps me focus on what is on His heart instead of mine. I also wanting to get back to writing in a journal, something I have stopped doing. This blog has taken the place of that and that has been good, both in sharing and receiving. However, there are thoughts and feelings that require a private place to reside, a place where it is only between Father and I. (Does that make sense?) There will be times the Father will give permission to share from those pages…today is one of those moments. I pray that these simple reflections will bless you today.

Grace…

Grace is fluid, a dance of mercy, a song of favor…a gift of redemption.

“and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24

The Greek word for redemption describes the price paid for a prisoner of war…the price is paid and they are set free. We are all former POWs.

Grace is liberating, grace ransoms us.

Grace is how God greets us and meets us…it release worship in us. It is God’s breath of Grace in us.

“through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2

“By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.”
- The Message Bible

Father,
I thank you for grace, I know it’s a gift, something I did not or could not earn. I love the way it frees me to be more yours. I love how it changes me and invites me into your presence. Help me to walk in your grace and give it freely towards others. Amen

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Comments

bill (cycleguy) said…
Like to thank you for adding to my confusion today and yesterday and probably tomorrow Jay. I have been thinking about preaching a series on Grace through the summer (starting maybe in May). Now you have gone and added to it by posting this. :) What better thing can we get from the Father than Grace? If there is anything else, I don't know what it is. Thanks for the song also. Hope you are feeling better. Then again, when you write like this, should i hope for you to stay sick? LOL Blessings my friend.
JT said…
I enjoyed the post and the video. May God Bless you.
Jay Cookingham said…
Bill, your humbleness amazes me...to think I could influence a teacher like yourself...well, humbles me! Thank you for you kind words and yes, Grace is a great gift from the Father. I am better and I understand that thought (about me being sick)...I thought the same thing! Bless you bro'
Jay Cookingham said…
Thanks John...God bless ya also bro'
MichaelDPerkins said…
Praying you feel better man. And thank you for this. It blessed my socks off tonight.
Jay Cookingham said…
Thank Michael...I'm glad it blessed you. Now, go find your socks....
S Etole said…
I just came from reading a post on grace only to come here and find more grace. It is never ending, isn't it? The grace we need is always there awaiting us.
Jay Cookingham said…
Amen Susan! We need that grace and praise God He ready to give it!
Gary said…
Nice touch podna. Carolyn and I have been discussing unexplainable Grace midst her very tough health status at the moment. We are so clearly the products of divine preference. Don't know why. So the sicknesses, like your sinus stuff, doesn't affect our gratefulness of privilege to be nested in his hand.
Tom said…
Thank you Jay, wonderful reminder of the blessing we have been so freely given!! Thanks for the impetus to start my new journal. I too have allowed my blog to be my journal but several times over the past few weeks I have been challenged to journal. As your music has played I have gone and retrieved a new journal. Here we go...thanks!
Jay Cookingham said…
Tom, I appreciate the drop by and the kind words! Praying your journal time will be a blessing to you.
Jay Cookingham said…
I'm praying for you guys, what you're walking through is much tougher that a sinus headache. Appreciate you bro'

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