January 20, 2006

Three hours from when I’m writing this I’ll be in Santa Rosa talking to the Redwood students about grace. This is the second time I’ll share with them on this topic. My point is taken from an acronym of GRACE:

God
Restores
Awful
Children
Everyday.

I have Bible support for the five words and stories to illustrate what is meaningful to me about each aspect

For me grace is this.

God is holy. There’s only Him and no one like Him. He’s who I face. Isaiah 46:8-9

He’s in the business of putting me back. I’ve fallen. He wants me back with Him. Only He can do this. Psalm 40:1-2

God, in His holiness, deals with my awfulness. I’m a mess if left to my own resources. And this is who He loves!!!!! Romans 7:24

We’re His children – expectant, willful, ignorant, innocent. Even before we’re restored, we belong to Him. 1 John 3:1

God’s blessing and action and love towards me comes everyday – new. Lamentations 3:21-23

I end with a slide that looks like this. My point being that until each of them have their own experience with grace, it doesn’t have much meaning or relevance for them.

G______
R______
A______
C______
E______

So, what is grace to you? Fill it in. Let someone know.

Be at peace,
Pastor Steve