emily's final linky post opp today on grace ~ open to all and to all grace thoughts...
one thing i've learned about grace? those who haven't received it don't know how to offer or extend it. their's is a world of rules and regs. a world of 'my way or the highway'. not the world of Christ's invitation to 'come to me, you who are weary and heavy laden. I will give you rest. learn of ME! My yoke is easy, My burden is light'... here from The Message, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." not a world of demand and expectation that demeans those who don't meet those demands or expectations. "Instead of giving you God's Law as food and drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger to help." Christ's own depiction as recorded by Matthew 23.4 and again by Luke in 11.46.
don't you love that? come to Christ to learn the 'unforced rhythms of grace'... His open invitation to 'keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly'! who wouldn't want to live that kind of life? yet how many have been shown that is the offer of Christ? how many have been offered grace? what are you offering to others? have you discovered your need for grace? is yours the offer of Christ? or is yours some conditional religious 'offer' with requirements that must be met?
i pray for an enlargement of our understanding of what LIFE in Christ is. "I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him"... Ephesians 1.17,18 The Message. "May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope." may today be a new beginning of a LIFE that enjoys and expresses unforced rhythms of GRACE! Welcome! you're invited ...
*Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me,
I once was lost but now I'm found was blind but now I see so clearly.
Hallelujah, grace like rain falls down on me;
hallelujah, all my stain are washed away, are washed away.
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fear relieved,
how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.
When we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun,
we've no less day to sing your praise than when we first begun.*
and more blessings
