the basic message #E200
10/3/03
I'm always amazed at how God communicates messages to me. For whatever reason, it would appear that God likes to talk to me while I'm driving. I suppose it could be that I'm usually alone when I'm driving, but I think it's more likely that it's due to him being able to get my attention better. When I'm at work, I'm always focused on the job at hand, when I'm working outside at home I usually don't have pen and paper close by. I now keep a Post-it note pad in my truck, ready to accept any blips that God might want to share with me.
The message today is that "Real grace is the empowerment to live a life obedient to God." Anyone familiar with my writings should know that I reject the "all you gotta do is believe" doctrine that most Christians adhere to. Unlike nearly all "basic messages" I've written, this one is void of scripture. It's not because I don't have scriptural references to provide, it's just because I think that real life experiences might be of more help to the millions of us who struggle with the concept of grace every day.
I grew up in a Christian home and went to church all of my life with the exception of about 6 years from the age of 17-23. I'd tend to think this is pretty common, since many young people, when given the choice of whether or not to attend church, usually opt to go churchless. I can look back on my life and see time and time again that God kept his hand firmly on me even when I thought I had escaped his grip. I have no way of knowing how other people relate to God, so I can only offer my own experiences. I'm lucky that my conscience has always either prevented me from doing any major wrongs, or at minimum kept me from enjoying the moment very much. At the ripe old age of 49, I can look back and understand a great deal of why God allowed me and my family to undergo trials and tribulations.
I have close relationships with people that are insatiable in their many desires. Whether it's homes, automobiles, motorcycles, boats, or whatever, these people are seldom satisfied with what they have. Real grace allows the Christian to appreciate what God has given them, rather that always asking God for more. For those of you who are parents- which child do you want to do the most for- the child that appreciates even the small things you do, or the little brat that is never satisfied? God, as our heavenly parent, likely feels the same way- he wants to do more for those who have an honest appreciation for his generosity.
It appears that the bulk of the Christian church is almost identical to the "lost" world, and it amazes me that the men and women in the pulpit aren't more concerned about this growing problem. In my opinion, this can only mean one thing: that same bulk of the Christian church is really unsaved, or else the lifestyles of these people would reflect "real grace". My family hasn't been immune to some of the problems that the world has. Marital strife, problems with children, unhappiness on the job has certainly visited me in sometimes extended stays for much of my adult life. God's gift of "real grace" was often metered out to me in tiny spoonfuls, but that's all that was needed. You see, a person can be suffering a great deal and have a minimal amount of drugs administered to them to keep the pain from completely overtaking them. Are they comfortable? Heck no, but they're surviving. Was I always comfortable with God's treatment of me? No, but I survived. An old saying goes like this: "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I think there's more than a little bit of truth in that saying. Here's a question for you to consider: If every day was a beautiful, sunny, 75 degree day, how many times would you ever hear anyone say, "Boy, it sure is a beautiful day!" Seldom, I would guess, since a beautiful day wouldn't stand out from all of the rest. It's the funky, cloudy, rainy days that give us the sharp comparison, and the same applies to life. Until you've lived in the darkness, you can't appreciate the light, and when "real grace" occupies your life, you'll look for God's mighty hand in even what might normally be considered bad luck.
"Real grace" is much better than "just believe" because the Christian takes an active part in his relationship with God. He can learn much more about God and his awesome character by entering into a true partnership rather than simply assuming that "all you gotta do is believe". Before I close, let me clarify that I do indeed agree that we must believe that Jesus Christ is able to atone for our sins, but to limit our relationship by asking him to be our sin janitor and nothing more isn't what God had in mind.