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.
Definition of………you.
Defining moments. Everyone has one. A point in your life where you said enough is enough and this is who I am.
A few months back I went to the NCO Academy and the class of, 13 of my AF peers whom I have never met, was talking about diversity among people. Extremist, gays, racist, and groups like that started coming up. Topics like how one group was always pushing for freedoms they already have. Then the discussions started focusing on Christians. Not extremist, nope but people like you, me, my mom and dad. That button I have, well it got pushed pretty hard and I interjected as one of 13.
I then told the story of my trip to Al Udeid Air Base. In my shop I had several guys who loved playing death metal and hard rock music with lots of cussing and all that nonsense. It was blaring loud as could be over the stereo system echoing down the halls into every room. After a few days of this I brought my MP3 player in and started playing Christian music over that same big stereo system. A few guys commented on the music but not hating on it. We started trading fair time on the stereo and everyone remained happy. But then something happened, people started coming out of the wood work and started telling me that they was Christian. We would talk about books and church and had a good time just knowing someone else was there to lean on. One afternoon, a few weeks into my deployment, my Commander called me into his office. I had no idea why but it's generally not a good thing when this happens. I Stood there in front of the Commander's big heavy fake oak desk with sweaty palms as he began commenting on the music that was playing. It was my music. (UGGG!!) Then to my surprise he thanked me for bringing Christian music into the work center because it eased the tensions of the people and made his day considerably better. He was very sincere and dismissed me with a handshake. All I could do was thank God for that moment, a moment that I will never forget.
Everyone in my class got quite as I told them- I am a Christian. One of those Christians they was talking down on and I then explained away a few of their misconceptions. My peers knew who I was and respected that the rest of the time we was together. It was a Hell or high water moment because I didn't know how anyone would react. I could be shunned and the NCO course would be near impossible for me or I would be accepted and bring Christians out into the open once again. God gave me the push and guided me through both those times with me giving glory to Father God.
If you haven't had that moment yet you need to step out when God gives you that nudge. Shining the light God has given you is wonderful thing because for me it felt if I was given a warm embrace and calming peace from Him. It didn't matter to me because God was assuring me that I was going to be taken care of. You may have had a defining moment and I would love to hear about it so please just take a moment to comment here or on facebook.