Grace

The sea around me surges.  My eyes are fixed on Christ as he stands on the water, arms outstretched and beckoning.  That is the only reason my feet are on the water as well.  Because of Him.  A wave crashes between Him and I.  My vision has been obscured!  The wave distracts me.  I look at the pitching surf, the effects of the wind, the dark clouds, the lightning.  I worry and doubt, and start to sink once again.  Hurry!  Swim back to the boat!  It feels safer in there!  But I know it’s not.  My way is never safer.

The water is up to my neck.  I move my gaze to my Savior and try desperately to keep my head above the water.  I frantically doggie paddle, splashing water everywhere, but getting no where.  Another wave comes and I feel its pull, but He keeps my head above it.  The dark water foams and swirls about me.  “Jesus, help me!”  I should have asked for that in the first place.  Immediately, He reaches out, grips my hand, pulls me out, and sets me on my feet.  The waves and storm are still there, but focused on Him again, I know my Savior and His truth and that gives me peace.  (Look at Matthew 14:22-31 for analogy.)

When we call out to God, He answers by helping.  You may be thinking, “That’s nice, but there are times I call out to Him, and I’m still floundering.” or “That’s nice, but my problem is still there and I don’t feel God.”  I completely understand that - I’ve been there.  Plenty.  I think some of, or the error we make (in relation to the first statement) is we’re only halfheartedly asking for help and then going on in our own strength, even if we don’t realize it.  Thinking about God and His promises to get through a problem is very good, but if we’re trying to think on the right things and get through our problem in our own strength, it won’t really work.  We’ll give out.  We’ll break.  I have.  But when I turn to Him, really turn to Him and rely on His grace, that’s when He can do His work and I can rest.  At least an underlying rest, a foundation of it.  He has been teaching me this in the past two weeks.  I have so far to go, but He encourages me to continue on.  To have faith in Him, to trust Him.

Grace: giving us what we oh-so-do-not deserve.  Jesus understanding what it's like to be human, His leadership, strength, peace, forgiveness, kindness, mercy, patience, love - even our faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 11:6)  …We don’t need grace just at the cross - when we are cleansed from our sin by Christ’s blood and bearing of our sins - we need grace every. single. day.  Like Steve Fee says in his song Grace., “It’s the reason there’s life in my soul and breath in my lungs.”