"For it is by grace you have been save, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:8-10
Standing and worshiping God this morning was everything I needed. I missed church last week due to business meetings and I felt the absence in my soul all week long.
We sang the lyrics from a song written by our new worship leader..."Overwhelm me. Overwhelm me. Overwhelm me with your Grace." The song was written specifically for our sermon series titled, "Overwhelming Grace."
Grace. "It's the most wonderful gift we've ever received." ~ Pastor Mike Gates
Pastor Mike referred to having a "yes" face in his sermon. What exactly did he mean by having a "yes" face? "A person someone knows they can come to, to receive grace."
Alene Snodgrass tells us in the second week of her Graffiti Summer challenge to bless someone different from ourselves. I find myself more wonder-struck by others and the gift of grace they have given to many...from our side of the street and the other side of the street.
This weekend my family said good-bye to a great man. Walter Thomson, Jr. is surely now home with our heavenly Father, and also with his wife and only son. At his memorial service he was referred to as a "Gentle Giant." An appropriate reference as this man blessed many during his 86 years here on earth with his overwhelming gentleness and grace.
I found myself observing my Aunt Jean as she mourned the loss of her brother. She was another one who blessed many, and she blessed those from the other side of the street. For years and years she took in children and served as their foster parent. In total, she was a foster parent to 79 children. Overwhelming!
These are two individuals who had a "yes" face.
The last few words Pastor Mike said in his sermon were, "Live your life knowing the value of the gift you were given." In Galatians 5:6, Paul tells us the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. And it begins with God's grace.
Alene is asking us to do just that—realize the value of the gift you were given and give that same gift to others. Again, as Paul tell us, serve one another humbly in love (Gal. 5:13). Have a "yes" face.
The challenge is to be willing to have a "yes" face to those who are different from you.
"If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?" ~ Matthew 5:47 (NLT)
This may make us feel uncomfortable as it requires living differently. If you are like me you are saying, "I'm not looking to be different; I just want to fit in." But when I take a moment to realize the gift of grace I've been given, I no longer want to simply fit in. He created me differently on purpose so I need to live differently. We need to live differently.
Alene writes in her book Graffiti: scribbles from different sides of the street, "To really follow Jesus, even if it's to the other side of the street, you will have to be the change maker. You will need to live differently from your friends and sometimes your family."
In my father's eulogy he said my Uncle Wally was a man who always showed up. To me, this is a man who lived differently.
My Aunt Jean lived differently and changed the life of 79 children as a result.
It took lots of praying for me to embrace being different by stopping and crossing the street to be with my friend Bob. Wondering what others driving by in their comfy cars would think of me sitting there with Bob would have previously kept me from crossing. God's overwhelming grace led me to have peace with my differences and the differences of others to cross the street and live differently.
This coming week, I'm praying God leads me in more ways. I'm armed and ready with a few gift cards to bless others as He leads.
God, I pray my eyes and heart remain open to wherever you may lead, whether you lead me to my side of the street or the other side. Silence those cries of wanting to fit in instead. Help me to appreciate that you created me differently on purpose, that you created us all to be different. Thank you for the gift of your overwhelming grace. Teach me to embrace your gift and to offer the same grace to others by living differently. Help me to have a "yes" face. Amen.
