There have been times I worry I have wandered out of it and times when I consider that maybe I have purposefully chosen to leave it and go my own way. Mostly I think I have to earn it by being good, or only receive it by doing all the right things, or attain it when I attempt big things for God. I feel badly when I take a quick last-minute trip to see some of the kids in Nashville and don’t take the time to write. I can shame myself pretty quickly and thoroughly when I don’t get it right all the time or when I unintentionally miss the mark. I desperately want to do all I can to stay in the grace of God.
When I start thinking or feeling all these things I have to remember:
God’s Grace Abounds
It is not found by doing something right, and it is not removed when I do something wrong. It is something I am surrounded by all the time. It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the very nature of God.
When a goldfish swims in its bowl, it is surrounded by water. It doesn’t think to itself, “how can I be sure that this water sticks around and I don’t ruin it.” It may not even realize it is surrounded by the water, it is just there, sustaining and supporting the life of the goldfish even when the fish isn’t aware of it. The fish doesn’t have to work for the water or do good things to have water, it will only know there is a problem when there is no more water. The fish was made to live and thrive and swim and be in the water.
And so we, as humans, are made to live and thrive and swim and be in the grace that God provides each and every day. Not because we deserve it, or have earned it, but because God provides it out of His goodness, generosity, and willingness to give us what we need regardless of what we do or don’t do. God’s grace is near, and surrounds us all around like the water does the fish. Paul explains it this way when he addresses the philosophers and people of Athens during his speech at the Areopagus, “He (God) is actually not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:27-28 ESV). God provides our breath, our life, our being. He sustains us and provides for us. He brings us food, and water, and provides for us. He may not be seen while doing any of this. Some never notice His work for them, and some never acknowledge His goodness and kindness. But we can. We can recognize that He showers us with grace each and every moment of the day.
I needed this reminder; I don’t have anything to strive for to achieve a state where I get more of His grace or somehow earn His attention. He loves me, and He loves you. He provides His grace to all because of His great love for us. He even provides it to those that do not realize it, acknowledge it, or will ever become aware of it. But not us, we see it, we feel it, we know it, even if we need to see, feel, and know it more. I can rest in it, I can swim in it, and I can thank Him for it more and more each day.
That’s what I tried to do when the guilt of not writing last week crept in on me. I thanked Him for His grace and that I don’t have to perform to get it. I thank Him for the breath that I breathe, the hours that I sleep while He keeps watch over me, the provision He brings each and every day. What a wonderful thing it is to be surrounded by the grace of God. Step into the rest of your day and week thinking about being surrounded by an ocean of His grace.
Enjoy the day, His grace abounds
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