Tag-Archive for » grace «

05
Apr
Why Flawed People Have It Right

My flaws and bloopers would score high on a weekly sitcom. Like others, my personality lacks many positive traits, yet my defects are what attract the grace of God to my life.

God is not condemning you for your bloopers—he is using your flaws to jump-start his workings of grace in your life. Grace is God’s avenue for transferring all his perfection, power, authority, favor, and forgiveness to you.

This grace was brought to planet earth through Jesus Christ and contains the power to transform and teach you all you need to know to live a godly life (see John 1:17 and Titus 2:11-12).

God’s grace is not earned through any action on your part. It is a gift freely given to flawed folks like you and me. In fact, you can’t even feel the transformation as it happens—but the results are amazing! The parts of you that you are blind to, or unable to fix, change as you live out your days simply because God has infused you with his grace.

“Grace does not demand perfection or provide a measurement for it. It brings perfection—the perfection of the Blood of The Lamb. It invites us to relax in His forgiveness and to assimilate His nature rather than to attempt to perform for others.

Grace releases us from a performance oriented portrayal of perfection, giving us instead, His acceptance as we are. It is a heart thing! The results may be seen by those around us, but in grace we do not see the change as an accomplishment because we are too focused on Him to see ourselves.” –Pastor Dave Fritsch in Dimensions of Grace

The outtakes on your life may advertise your humanity, but they also attract God’s grace. Can you relax in your flaws and know that grace has already made you perfect?

In Him together, Susan Gaddis

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Category: Brain overhaul, Personal growth, The Backward Kingdom  Tags: , , , , , , ,
05
Feb
How to Pray Your Child “Home”

394279_home_keyI believe in praying for my kids. I’m in the trenches of finishing raising child number six now, and prayer, as with the other five kids, continues to be my best bet for his survival and my sanity.

Titus 2:11–12 is the mainstay of my Scripture praying for my children. Although I use many, this one passage remains my favorite when I approach God’s throne discouraged and needing my Father to do another “kid intervention.” Basically, my Titus 2 prayer sounds like the following:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. That’s a lot of grace, Lord—enough to show your salvation to everyone who has ever lived. So I know there is as much grace as is necessary for (name of child) to come home to you in his heart, decisions, and actions.

I ask that your grace continue to teach (name of child) to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions. You know, Lord, how much temptation my child faces on a daily basis. May your grace instruct (him/her) in how to live a self-controlled, upright and godly life in this present age—here and now—not just someday in the future. Lord, self-control, upright, and godly are hard things to walk in, even for an adult. I ask that you do what no one else can do in my child’s life—teach (him/her) to be a Christ follower.”

So far God’s track record in the Gaddis Department of Child Raising has been spotless. Parenting is messy at times, but God, for His part, has been faithful. All of the older kids love and serve the Lord, and I have every confidence that this last one will continue to be mentored by Grace in how to say “Yes” to self-control, an upright heart, and godly actions. I’m expecting Grace to teach him how to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions.

Am I the only parent who needs the God of Grace to mentor my children? What do you pray when you seek the Lord for the welfare of your kids? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

In Him together, Susan

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Category: Prayer, praying for your kids, Relationships  Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
13
Nov
Sticky Justice
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Dale Dixon

Sometimes justice is sticky.

Hitting the recreation center at a low income housing community was the last thing on my wish list a few weeks ago. I like my Saturday mornings wrapped in one-third coffee and two-thirds quiet.

On this particular Saturday, I adjusted my attitude, grabbed my huge candy bag and headed out to join our latest church Incarnation Project–a mobile Fall Festival. This community center was our morning location; another was chosen for the afternoon.

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Fun games.

It was unusually empty for a play area, but slowly kids arrived to check out the various games and craft activities scattered across the asphalt. The smell of hot dogs and popcorn was a huge draw. Free candy didn’t hurt either.

Single mothers and grandparents accompanied many of the younger children. I interviewed some who could speak English and learned that few fathers lived in the complex.

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The winner!

A single parent on inadequate income will take whatever housing is available. That seemed to be the situation in this location of town.  A welfare check or a low paying job provided little of life’s privileges for these people. Many of the blessings I take for granted were not even on their radar. 

Folks do reap what they sow, but it doesn’t seem fair. Children are not responsible for their parent’s choices or for life’s hardships. Where was the justice for these kids?

A friend commented on how hard it was for him growing up in a poor community and receiving gifts from those who seemed to have so much more then he did. “I loved the candy, but felt shamed. I wanted the gifts, but felt resentful towards those who had so much more then we did.”

I didn’t know how to respond to his statement. In trying to bring a little justice into children’s lives, was I also causing them to feel shame?

I know a small amount of justice was being served that day in the form of candy and games. Yet, in thinking over my friend’s remark, I realized that it was sticky justice. I am still processing the comment; and I still have some leftover sticky candy in my bag.

What do you think?

Click on “comment” at the very bottom of this post to join the conversation.

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