Hello,
Some years ago my family and I moved from Ohio to South Dakota to follow what I believed was God’s call into a new ministry. I have moved several times in my life, and each move comes with much unknown and adventure. The move to South Dakota had the extra dynamics of having three boys who had established their lives in our small Ohio town. But because of their courage and faith, we decided to follow God’s call to South Dakota.
As part of the move, we told our kids that we would pay their way once to visit their friends in Ohio, which we did. As it happened we made arrangements for my middle son to make his visit during Christmas break. We bought tickets for him to fly in and out of Columbus, Ohio, and his friend’s parents were going to make the two hour drive to pick him up and take him down to the airport.
After we had made all these arrangements, my son’s friend, whose parents were good friends of ours, too, said that they would like to come up to visit us, and instead of having my son fly to Columbus, they would just take him back with them, and then take him to the airport at the end of his visit and he could fly back. Sounded great to us.
So, our friends came and visited us, and after their visit he hopped in their car and travelled with them back to Ohio. He spent a week with them, and then they took him to the Columbus airport, where a problem emerged. The phone rang in our South Dakota home, and it was my son, who said he was at the airport and the airline was not going to allow him to board with his ticket because he did not take the flight to Columbus. In order for him to fly home, he would need to purchase a one way ticket at $700.00+, an additional charge from the ticket that we had already bought.
Confused as to why this was happening, after all, we had bought the ticket, I asked him to put the airline person on the phone who told me that because he did not fly to Columbus, his seat was revoked for his return flight. I told the person, and many more airline representatives that I talked to as I worked my way up the ladder of authority, that I didn’t understand what they were saying as we had already bought the ticket. This policy was news to me.
“Sir,” each of them said, “it is in the documentation.” (Fine print, that is.) It was an argument that I lost, and in order for my son to get home, I wound up purchasing an additional one way ticket. Fine print! What would have happened if I would not have had the funds to but this unexpected ticket? I asked them how they would have felt if they had a high school freshman stranded in a strange airport? “Sir,” it is in the documentation.” Fine print!
This incident came to mind when I was talking to a fellow pickle ball player who had forgotten his glasses, and we were joking about seeing a green pickle ball, let alone reading fine print. “Who reads the fine print, anyway?”, we joked. But, as I discovered with my son, you can be surprised, frustratingly and shockingly surprised if you don’t.
But here’s the thing with God…..there is no fine print. When it comes to God, there is just on, oversized font, bold and underlined word….GRACE. No exceptions hidden away in paragraphs of fine print. No parameters buried under reams of paper printed in legaleze. No, “Sir, it is in the documentation.” When it comes to God’s relationship with you and me, there is no fine print…..only one word GRACE.
So, when you find yourself in a pickle of sin and pain. When you find yourself barred from the world to journey in life. When you find yourself in a hole of your own making, or of your misguided stumbling. When you find yourself being lowered into a six foot grave. And you call upon God, know this….God will answer with one word, GRACE.
With God, there is no fine print! Just GRACE!
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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