I have been trying to add spiritual
disciplines to my life. I invite you to join me in this for a few
minutes as you read.
Stop. Rest. Focus. I would like you to join
me in meditation. Our topic for meditation is grace.
Let us think about the sin and brokenness that
make grace necessary. Think about the amount of love God must have
for us to initiate grace. Think about the torment Jesus went through
during the last few hours before his crucifixion. Think about Jesus’
emotion when he cried out “Why have you forsaken me?”
Let us think about the joy Mary had when she
talked to the risen saviour in the garden. Think about the men on
the road to Emmaus when the risen saviour served them supper. Think
about the apostles’ faces as Jesus appeared in the upper room.
Think about the apostles’ wonder when they watched Jesus ascend to
heaven.
Let us think about ourselves. Think about our
own sin and why we each need grace. Think about the cost of our
salvation. Think about our new lives through grace that Jesus offers
each of us.
Grace is, in my mind, the most attractive and
the most unattractive aspect of Christianity.
It is attractive for the obvious reasons. I
know I cannot fix my mistakes but that doesn’t matter because grace
fixes them for me. I know I deserve to be punished but I know I
won’t be because grace pardons me. I know that I was lost but now
I am found because grace has set me free.
It is unattractive for the less obvious
reasons. Grace is free for me, but it cost God dearly. It cost him
his life. Grace and the fact that I need it means that I am equal to
everyone including the irritating people I wish would leave me alone.
Grace means I need grace for me as much as they need grace for
whatever sin of theirs I am quietly judging. Grace is somehow less
attractive when I am not the recipient.
Let us pray that we rejoice over grace for “the
other” as much as we rejoice over it for ourselves.
Jesus also tells us that grace comes with an
obligation and he put this obligation squarely on the church, on you
and me when Jesus spoke to Simon – renamed Apostle Peter – the
rock on which he built his church. Jesus told Peter that he would
do something horrible (and Peter did) but that he would be forgiven
by Jesus (and he was). Forgiveness is not the end of the story,
though. When Peter came through the testing, Jesus had a job for
him.
Luke 22:31-32 is becoming one of my favourite
passages. It comes at the end of Jesus predicting Peter’s denial.
He says:
“Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried
his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat.
Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or
give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to
your companions and give them a fresh start.” (MSG)
Let us have our final meditation. Let us think
about how – now that we have received grace – we can help our
companions have a fresh start. How can God use you and how can God
use me to demonstrate the grace we have?
--Tony
