Grace: Grace in action – 7 November 2022

It’s Monday morning; as you open your eyes and start to surface, every stressful thing that will be happening today rushes in and floods your mind, causing a sense of panic to rise deep in you and begin to take a hold. You wish that you had prepared yourself more the night before; but, as you remember the events of the weekend, you realise that it couldn’t have happened any other way.

You sigh and mentally start to order your list. As you do, the text of yesterday’s sermon comes back to you: “When my spirit faints within me, you know my way!” (Psalm 142:3, ESV) Hope rises and begins to replace the panic as you realise that God has already gone before you, and you’re not alone.

You begin to breathe differently now, anticipating your quiet time with him; you know that what you really need at this moment is time in his presence; time for him to remind you of his grace to you; that you’re his, and He cares as, “in him (you) live and move and have (your) being” (Acts 17:28) and let the comfort of his peace smooth the turmoil of your soul.

Quietly connecting daily with God, our Creator who loves us, is essential to our wellbeing, “to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD”( Psalm 27:4) to calm our spirit, and regulate our thinking, which is constantly being bombarded by the world’s distressing and unsettling intrusions: violence, bad news about wars, the weak economy, corruption, and “man’s inhumanity to man” (Robert Burns). We also need Him to monitor our own distractions which may not be as relaxing and healthy as we think, and may need attention.

Paul would have exulted in conquering this situation and we can too; Paul was no stranger to problems and feelings of inadequacy, and tackled them head on in the grace he knew was his in Christ and that there was nothing too hard for Him: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV)

Paul had learnt the secret that when he knew he was weak he benefited more from time in His presence, because he then relied solely on God to empower him, than when he felt strong in his own strength and launched out on his own, often opening the way for the enemy to attack him through foolishness or pride.

We experience God’s grace in action in our lives daily when we spend time with Him and know Him more fully; He rescues us and renews us as we draw from his wisdom, grace and strength.

Will you be still and marvel at his grace today?

Prayer: Gracious Father, “You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:29-31) “I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.” (Philippians 4:13) Amen