A Grace Perspective

I had one of those days today.  You know the kind, when you spend way more time than you should wrestling with an issue that you should have settled long ago.  I was spinning my wheels in a spiritual rut of my own making.  It's on days like these that I am especially grateful for grace.  One of the first verses I was encouraged to memorize as a new Christian was Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God."  I am so grateful that God's grace abounds to me even when I don't deserve it!  The passage goes on the say, "Not of works, lest any man should boast."  I know I don't have anything to boast of in the works department.  That's why I am so glad that salvation is by grace.  I know, left to myself, I would find a way to muck it up.  God is good!

Speaking of God being good, there was a line in a recent Missions Update put out from our denominational offices in Charlotte that read, "Pastor Paul and his members [in Malawi] are giving thanks that no one in the church has died of starvation in the last month. Praise the Lord for His blessing."  Now that made me pause.  It's a real perspective-builder.  Makes my problems look pretty small.  But here's another point, God IS good - and God is good no matter what! 

If I sound like I'm rambling a bit, it's because I am.  It's been one of those days.  But it's a day that I'm ending on the right note - with praise and thanksgiving to a loving Heavenly Father - One who isn't through with me yet - One who has big plans.  And guess what?!  I'm in those plans!  No matter what!  Hey, you can take advantage of that grace, too.  There's plenty to go around! Praise the Lord for His blessing!!

Pastor Mary