Welcome to Real-ity Based Blogging

Go ahead and look first at Galatians 2 . See how God speaks to you individually. Then come back, if you wish, and see what God has put in my mind/heart.

Key Verse(s): Galatians 2:20-21

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"

Title: Grace

Observation: I like to work and accomplish things. I like to succeed, and like even more to take credit for the success in my life. And yet I am constantly reminded the truth in scirputre- I am unable to effect salvation for anyone, not even myself. It is only through the grace of God that I am His child. I did not earn it; I could not earn it. I must accept as a gift that which I could never earn.

Recently I forgot an appointment with my pastoral coach. This for me is a frightening moment. I hate forgetting things I promised to do. And even worse, this was my third miss in the last couple months. I have not missed this many in a series of appointments since I was a college student more than a decade ago. I was deeply humiliated. I wrote a longish email of apology, citing the situations going on in my life, but giving him the freedom and permission to terminate our professional relationship. He does not deserve to be stood up like I have three times over the last few months.

Instead, I get an email back from him- and the words he uses are words like, grace, forgiveness, and trust. Instead of making me feel bad for something I cannot go back in time and fix, he has extended forgiveness and has offered me the opportunity to continue this mentoring relationship. This was not what I deserved; this was an act of grace.

Application: I hold myself up to a fairly high standard and I like to hold others up to high standards too. But I must also extend the grace of Jesus. I want to be a person of grace. I want to love people and encourage them unconditionally.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to be loving and forgiving. Help me to forgive myself and others. Help me to model grace. Lord, I am unworthy of your Goodness, but help me to accept this gift unconditionally. Allow me to live a grace-filled life.

In Jesus Name,
Amen.