Undeserved Grace
I don’t think its any coincidence that one of the themes to my daily devotional during the Easter weekend was about unmerited grace. First of all, I hope that you all had a great Easter week/weekend. I can say with out a doubt that this was the best Easter week I have ever had. For all the right reasons, each day was filled with opportunities to study, for fellowship and worship, and to speak with so many people about what the week meant. There have been weeks that have been long, hard, frustrating and difficult; this was not one of them. It might have been one of the most meaningful I have ever had and I know it is will not soon be forgotten. I love this place. Its called the South Department of Haiti and many folks give a new definition to, and also hold their own, in what we know as Southern hospitality.
Back to the subject at hand, I know many of you have reflected on the sacrifice of Christ over the last week. If not, there is always next year, next week, tomorrow or right now! I’ve always wanted to have an Easter service in October and a Christmas service in July just for reminder sakes. Sometimes as we get in a regular routine of church attendance, or no attendance for some, I wonder if we forget that undeniable and all important concept of an undeserved grace? Internally I believe that many of us boast to ourselves about our Christ like behavior or attitude. I have an ego. I’m guilty of it. This reality reminds me of a time where my attitude was different; but, my intention was almost the same. However, at this time, like many of you have once thought, I felt that I was undeserving or not needing of God’s grace. More importantly its something that was never thought about or cared about. Although the attitudes are very different, the idea that God’s grace is predicated on our intention still resonates. A few times when I was in serious trouble, sometimes with the law, I would plead to God to get me out of trouble. “If you just get me out of this...” I would say. I would wager a change in behavior with God’s extension of mercy. I’m sure many of you can identify with this type of exchange. Many times he delivered. Did I? No. My intention was never pure, sincere or honest; but, did he care? No. It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy (Roman 9:16)
So I wonder how long this Easter joyfulness, this buzz is going to last? Is it something that you can sustain for this week or possibly this month? I pray that this idea of an undeserved grace remains in our hearts until we hear our name called. I pray that we may be able to give our brothers and sisters the undeserved forgiveness, compassion and love that we also were/are given. You show your thankfulness to God by your willingness to give undeserved grace to others. It is a radical ideology; however, even those who were physically beating and crucifying Christ received it. Even though their intention and effort was to destroy, God’s effort was to give an unmerited love to a people, to us, that wasn’t really interested in receiving it in the first place. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace that you have been saved (Ephesians 2: 4-5)
Sean
