GOD’s Grace is sufficient

     The word GRACE appears 170 times in the King James Version of the Bible. We can sing how amazing it is or how it “will pardon and cleanse within.” We can read how sufficient it is or how we can grow with it through Jesus Christ. But do we really understand and appreciate GOD’s Grace?

     As you look around your circle of life, nothing is as it was. Even though everything may appear the same, the process has definitely changed. Think about that for a minute:  nothing we did two months ago can be accomplished exactly the same way today. That surreal feeling can be overwhelming if you look at it through your mind’s eye.

     For example, dine-in restaurants are now using their parking lots to have you park and wait for the waiters to bring the take-out to your car (making it a drive-in). Look at your Church participation, before you could be there every time the Church doors opened and fellowship with people who genuinely love you. All that changed in a day. Now you find yourself watching videos of the Pastors administering the WORD and searching out social media for some contact.  

     Although I do miss the real “face time” with each of you (especially how all topics of discussion degrade into a talk of a bodily function), I feel the Spirit is teaching us the finer details of life and to appreciate GOD’S Grace in our daily walk. Case in point, how many of you have been working in your yard? Driving back and forth to work I can tell you one positive thing about COVID-19, the landscape has never looked better. Yet even with all our hard work of seeding and weeding, it is GOD’S Grace that has blessed us with rain and the prefect weather for yard work.

     Another interesting observation is the conversations about “screen-time.”  Before COVID-19, the Christian radio programs were spending hours over the deterioration of the family unit though our affixation with our “screens.”  How the social fabric of our society was tearing due to our family separation due to “screen-time.” Two months ago, I could easily look around the room and see at least half the people (and I am being generous) staring down at their phones. The radio programs would repeatedly state the obvious which was “put the phones down and enjoy time with each other.” Under COVID-19, we are more dependent on our “screens” to perform our jobs and communicate with each other. However, now that we have all the “screen-time” we want, people are starting to put down their “screens” and enjoy time with their families. Parents are being challenged to entertain their children the whole day, every day and the next generation is growing from it. I consider that GOD’S Grace.

     Sadly there are plenty of people suffering with anxiety over COVID-19. The News seems to have an infatuation with the number of positive cases and reported deaths daily, creating (initial or not) a sense of panic. The Politicians are quick to blame one another and argue about how to proceed.  People are hoarding more now than any time in history. In spite of all that, GOD’S Grace is abundant if you just look around.

     I love hearing the stories of people lining up to show love to one another. I believe it first started in Paris when the French went to the balconies across the City and made noise to show their support of the Medical community. Local teachers are driving around in caravans honking at their students and showing them how much they miss them. Emergency responders are lining up their vehicles outside hospitals with sirens blasting to show how much they appreciate the Hospital staff’s herculean efforts. There have been many examples of people reaching out to one another.  Church staffs across the world are making it possible for everyone to receive GOD’s message during this time of isolation.

     In 1 Corinthians 15:9-10; “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

     Through Paul’s writing, GOD is reminding us that you are who you are because of GOD’S Grace and that we cannot let it be a waste. COVID-19 should be our wakeup call to be grateful for GOD in our lives and to “labor more abundantly” by the GRACE of GOD.  STOP focusing on the negatives in your life and the negatives of this world;  START engaging with GOD’S WORD, CONTINUE praying “without ceasing” that the Lord Jesus Christ will reveal His purpose for you and GO labor with GOD’s Grace!  

     In reading Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

     I believe we are in a “time of need” like never before and only from the One who was tempted like us, will we find the Grace to get through this and be better for it.

     Let Us Pray.

     Dear Heavenly Father, we humbly bow our heads before a Mighty King whose Grace is sufficient for any need we may have. Thank you Lord for this day filled with the beauty of your creation. Lord teach us Your Will in this life you have entrusted to each one of us and please open our eyes to Your Grace around us. Lord give us the strength and endurance to labor for the Kingdom. For it is in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.