Reflections of Grace
It's been one of those months. A life long friend's daughter lost a classmate in a playground accident. Moving from a moment of carefree joy and bliss, a 9 year old child stepped into eternity with Christ feeling a joy and bliss never known by anyone. I was at a loss and didn't know what to say but try to show my dear friend the glory this little one now has.
I felt a need to visit my brother down in Mississippi so I went. Even though I felt discouraged when my plans to improve their church website wasn't going to happen. To top it off everything else we wanted to do wasn't going to happen either. I was wondering then, why did God want me to visit my brother when nothing happened as I hoped. I didn't drive from Kansas to Mississippi as a planned vacation but to get things done.
I was staying up late Friday at my brothers and was on facebook when a new found friend posted about the death of a close cousin under difficult circumstances. I was at a loss and didn't really know what to say. I told my friend, be strong for all we have is grace and I shared the story of my brother's ex-wife's death. As I prayed for my friend I couldn't help but relate and think about what my brother went through. Grace is all we have.
Just moments ago we left my brother's church and started headed back home. What many of you might not realize (unless you have read my post Grace) is after all my brother has been through, he adores God with all his heart. Things that would drive most men to hate and make them cower away, my brother has been pulled through, by the perfect Grace of God. More alive now than the day before and it all because of a choice he made to follow Christ, no matter what came up against him.
Regardless of the pain and the problems that we face we make that choice every day. You can get up and accept the Grace that God offers you or you can lay in that bed and rot away into the earth. Breath in the life that you have been offered and make a mark on the world in the name of our Creator God and Jesus Christ who takes our sins away.
Not knowing what God brought me to Mississippi to see, my brother sang this song while playing his guitar.
Sometimes God just ask you drive 700 miles to hear and see His Grace in action.