Pondering God’s Grace…

Had you ever had those days when you are completely overwhelmed by the greatness of God?  Today is one of those days for me.

Ed and I have been going through a greenhouse class at our church called “4 Biblical Rules of Communication” and it has been amazing.  The rules we have learned thus far are 1- Be honest  2 – Keep current and  3- Attack the problem, not the person.  Scott Ellison, one of the pastors at our church, is leading the class and has shared some real practical ways we are to do the above (and ways we don’t do the above which, to be honest, has been real convicting).  The basic principle behind all of these things is not to have a more legalistic list of things to do and not to do, but as 2 Corinthians 5:9 says “So we make it our goal to please Him.”

But yesterday, as Scott was talking, he went on a brief tangent about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  He briefly shared his viewpoint about how he didn’t believe Jesus was upset in the garden because he knew he would be whipped and nailed and suffer indescribable torture, but he was upset because he knew that God would turn his back on him, be completely absent in his life, and he would suffer the complete wrath from God of everyone’s sins – past, present, and future.  It was definitely food for thought, as I have never thought about it this way.  Whether you 100% agree with him, or don’t agree with him at all, or aren’t sure, let me share with you the part that awed me and has left me completely overwhelmed by the greatness of God today.

Have you ever thought for a second what it would be like to have God completely turn his back from you and be completely absent in your life?  Even for those who don’t know God, or even for those who consider themselves to be atheists, there are still ways everyday that they experience God’s grace in their lives.  The sun rising, the world continuing to spin on it’s axis, our bodies still functioning so we can live and breathe, our car starting so we get to work – all of these things that we consider a given, or science even, wouldn’t happen apart from God.

Even worse, what is God not only chose to be absent from our life, but chose to pour out all of his wrath for the sins of all mankind of one of us?  I don’t even know.  All I know is that I am so humbled and thankful to the Lord for his constant grace and mercy in my life and in the lives of others.  Grace is a word that we say a lot, but do we really understand it and how freely the Lord gives it?  Romans 3:21-24 says ” 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”  Praise the Lord for His grace and that Jesus experienced God’s wrath and absence so that we will never have to!

“10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)”

Bless the Lord, O my soul

O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name

You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your holy name

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