Disembodied grace

is no grace at all. Apart from the person and work of Jesus Christ, we have no hope. So often I find myself and others speaking about grace as is if it some ethereal goo that we cash in on. Otherwise men speak of God's graciousness while denying the historical Christ. No! Grace is the propitiation for our sins payed in Christ's death and his ongoing work through the holy spirit to keep us and make us holy. To Christ alone we look for sure hope--for ourselves, our families, the church, and the world.

Our move to the city

frightens me. Transplantation. My roots have grown deep in this place, conforming precisely around each rock, seeking out water.  Now a new place; new rocks, new soil. We might find shallow, rocky soil. Will our leaves whither; will our fruit rot?

"I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)" Honestly, though, I don't always desire the kind of provision he promises:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19,20)

He promises to give us what we need to fulfill his mission--not simply to make us happy. He asks us to sacrifice our whole lives for his glory. I can understand why outsiders might not like the idea of that. We must understand, however, that he created us with capacity for great joy, and the fulfillment of that capacity for joy coincides with the fulfillment of our purpose as his creatures; namely, seeking his glory, spreading the kingdom.

And Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you."  

And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life. (Luke 18:28-30)

I love the words "in this time". So many Christians speak as if our inheritance as believers awaits us only in heaven, but Christ said, "many times more in this time".  We may not have homes, and we may be hungry, but in Christ and in fulfilling his mission we have a joy that is worth "many times more" than these things.

Grace through marriage

The Catholics list marriage among the seven sacraments. I understand. "Husbands, love you wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her (Ephesians 5:25)". Don't just read over this. Go back. Read it again. It's hard to love like Christ. Each faltering attempt to love my wife in this way impresses me more deeply with the grandeur of Christ's love for his people. I love him more because of it. That's grace. Marriage works holiness--a sacrament of sorts.