grace

Grace, grace, God's grace
Grace that can pardon and cleanse within...
Grace, grace, God’s grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin...

we are willing to talk about it, not really willing to understand it. we can throw it around, but frankly i think the idea of grace scares a lot of us. there are those who find it easy to extend... those who find it easy to receive... and those who don't really do either one too well.

grace is funny, because its completely not deserved. in a world where we work to get everything that we need - this is the one that is most essential and we can do nothing to attain it on our own. does that bring comfort or fear to you?

i want so badly to be someone that inspires and encourages and extends grace.

John Piper describes those who deal in the currency of grace: “They have their heat sensors adjusted and alert for embers of grace that they can fan; while the other kind of people, it seems, have their buckets of criticism ready to pour on the ashes of imperfection.”

grace transforms.

Bono put it like this, "Grace makes beauty out of ugly things."

i love reality shows. (dont judge me). they're like a train wreck and i can't stop watching them... i love the trashy Bravo shows like Project Runway and Real Housewives of New York... i have no shame. But then there are the shows like What Not to Wear and Extreme Makeover Home Edition... i can't actually watch those without crying, so i choose not to. Well, i don't really cry for What Not to Wear unless it was REALLY good. But there's something about a transformation of a house (or um, wardrobe...) of someone who didnt earn it by anything they did that makes you feel so good... so emotional... so... ya know...

so heres my point. how much more is a life than a house or a little black dress?! Imagine the tears that God - the Transformer - cries when He sees the transformed life... gut wrenching.

:::sigh:::

grace. undeserved.