The Bungee Cord  6-19-18

Hello,

     Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

     That saved a wretch like me.

     I once was lost, but now am found

    Was blind, but now I see.

What is grace? Undeserved and unmerited love. That is what grace is.  A good definition, but rather bland in my mind. Not very heart gripping, if you ask me. Yet, that is exactly what grace is meant to be…to grab our hearts with life giving and life changing love.  So, with that in mind, let me offer a definition that I have come up with that I hope packs a bit more punch.

Grace is

God’s – grace begins with God, because it is God’s, and it comes from God.  Grace belongs to no one or anything else.  It’s God’s, and because it is God’s, God can do with it what he wishes.  God can use it any way God wants to.  God doesn’t have to listen to anyone else’s suggestions or expectations.  Grace is God’s.

Resolute – And when it comes to God’s use of his grace, God is resolute.  God is not wishy washy with grace.  God is not tentative with grace.  God is not cautious with grace.  God is resolute.  Single minded.  Hard headed. Stubborn. Unwavering.  Once you’ve squeezed the toothpaste out, there’s no getting it back in.  God is resolute with grace.

Amour – That is French, of course, for love.  I had to use French because I needed to use the “a”, but beyond the need to use the “a”, maybe the French word, Amour, actually better captures what grace is.  Amour…captivating love, falling head over heels love, intense love, ever on your mind love.  God’s love isn’t “strong liking”.  It isn’t vanilla in flavor.  It isn’t found on the surface of God’s heart.  God’s love is “amour”.  Grace is the kind of love that your find yourself falling into….as the French would say, “amour”.

Completely – When it comes to God’s love, like the most smitten of lovers, God holds nothing back.  God doesn’t love experimentally, seeing what might happen, and if it isn’t what he has hoped would happen, he stops the experiment.  No, God rips open his heart and lets every last bit of his love pour out. God’s love is not like a little stream that can be dammed up.  No, God’s love is like a Tsunami cascading over everything with unstoppable force. It doesn’t go around mountains. It floods over them.  It doesn’t wind around strong obstacles.  It gathers them up in its current.  God’s love is complete in its dispersal into the world, and it is complete in its expanse.

Enacted – Not extended, as if God was merely reaching out his hand.  Not enabled, as if God was providing a door to be opened.  Not extolled, as if God was simply telling about his love.  But enacted.  God is at work embracing, gathering in, holding tight.  Grace is the grip on which God has taken hold of us, a grip with which nothing can ever loosen.  God isn’t waiting for us to get the ball of his loving rolling our way.  Grace is the love of God that God, like a bowling ball, as sent careening upon us.  When Jesus died on the cross and walked out of the grave, God enacted his love in an unstoppable reaction exploding throughout the universe.

Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come.

‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far

And grace will lead me home.

That’s God’s grace!  God’s Resolute Amour Completely Enacted.  

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger