These are the words from a hymn penned years ago.
1. Early, my God, without delay,
I haste to seek thy face;
My thirsty spirit faints away
Without thy cheering grace.
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748
Grace is the face God shows us and it is the face we should show others. This may be the hardest concept I have tried to write about on this blog to date. Grace sounds like a simple term, but it is not.
1 a
: unmerited divine assistance given humans
2 a
: APPROVAL, FAVOR <stayed in his good
graces>
b archaic : MERCY, PARDON c : a special favor
: PRIVILEGE <each in his place, by right, not
grace, shall rule his heritage -- Rudyard Kipling>
d : disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
e : a temporary exemption
: REPRIEVE8b : the quality or state of being considerate or thoughtful
(from http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/grace)
Above are only part of the definitions found for grace, but they give us the idea of what I am trying to say here. Kind, considerate, and thoughtful acts towards our fellow sojourners without regard to measuring worthiness. Folks are worthy of our grace simply because they are our fellow humans beings.
I remember living on the streets in Los Angles one time and seeing large signs over buildings in a distance proclaiming the love of Jesus. I started walking towards them, but when I got there they were closed. Later I found out they were just places people raised money from pretending to help the homeless. The big sign hanging above the building saying “JESUS LOVES YOU” did not fill my empty stomach or hug my lonely tired body.
Days later grace was shown to me by a lady in an aid station in the main bus terminal in downtown Los Angles who saw me and called my parents back in Atlanta from a number she found in my wallet. I was so sick I was not much help to her, but her help was not based on any merit she could see. Her help was based on her heart and the fact she saw me as a person who needed her help. I saw the face of God’s grace through her face that day. I was lost on the streets and I got home to my family because of her.
Another time I was locked away on a military psychiatric unit not eating like I should. Some of the nurses were civilian employees. A civilian nurse fed me not because of merit, but because of what was in her heart.
Folks please show others the face of grace because it has healing power. It will help you and it will help the person you show the grace. You both will be winners and feel the joy that only comes when GRACE is SHOWN.
You can reach me directly at [email protected]
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