In the last few weeks I feel as though I have been challenged and stretched to beyond my capacity. I've been asking God questions like "what am I going to do about this?" and slowly moving into a head space of frustration and bitterness, not seeing things work out the way I may have liked. But today it struck me just what it is that I should be asking - if anyone knows me this isn't a new lesson - "give me grace for those who frustrate me and let me see beyond my SELF." Grace is not something that I have been blessed with as a gift, rather it tends to be much more of a chore...
Yet in my frustrations and prayer, which at the time probably sounded more like a whiny child, God showed me grace. He shows me grace ever single day, in all my failings, in all my actions and down to the core of my sinful nature. Thank goodness for grace and love. God didn't love on a pick and chose basis, he didn't love only those who didn't annoy him. He loved and loves us all and meets us where we are at. Grace more than we can ever even imagine, it is conditionless, it is freedom from ourselves, it is so damn humbling. I talk a lot about meeting people where they are at and walking with them in their journey, when it comes to work, but when it comes to people that I have expectations of my idea of grace becomes a bit stingy. Thank goodness God isn't stingy with his grace.
This afternoon I came across this verse and it was a little like a well needed slap in the face from God.
"But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt." - Deu 7.8
God loves us so much that his greatest joy is to redeem us and be our savior from all evil. Our sinful nature is our slavery. He had immeasurable grace for the Israelite and has that same grace for us.
