I once read a quote, perhaps by Mark Twain, that grace is 'the fragrance given off by the flower crushed by a heel.' Grace is that which we are beneficiaries of in spite of the fact that we hardly deserve it. In fact, grace is that overwhelming sense of humility because we have been the undeserving recipients of someone's blessing--in spite of ourselves. Grace is given to us always because we need it, not because we deserve it.
Grace is magical, but not in some devilish, black way. Grace is the Sun that we know is present even when dark clouds cover the sky. Grace is not stealth either. Grace makes bold, loquacious announcements of its presence. It is not shy. It is loud, and sometimes, so concerned to make its presence known, it is rather burdensome. One tries to escape from it only to find its grip being strengthened like a Chinese finger puzzle: The more you pull away, the tighter it becomes.
I personally find it impossible to escape grace. I see it everywhere I look, in the large in the small, in the beautiful in the ugly. So I have attempted to carve some of these images for you with a keyboard and in words. I hope this will not be exhaustive for you but only serve to show you how grace is always around us even when we least expect it, and probably where we do not expect it.
Grace is the callous that forms on hands that work.
Grace is like that stars that break apart the blackness of night.
Grace is like returning to your mattress after a week of camping and sleeping on the earth.
Grace is the reassuring touch of a loved one when you are afraid.
Grace is a hot shower after a long, sweaty day in the garden.
Grace is recognizing every minute of every day that we are not okay, and being okay with that.
Grace is the flavor of water after a long day in the sun.
Grace is a cup of tea on a cool, dreary day.
Grace is the fresh breeze that blows away the stench of death
Grace is the sound of rain drops pattering the ground after a season of dust and drought.
Grace is being loved by someone you fear.
Grace is the smile God shows towards his enemies.
Grace is a rainbow before a storm. (After the storm it is faithfulness.)
Grace is like the grass and flowers that grow in a cemetery.
Grace is hearing a bump in the night and finding the children still in bed.
Grace is being in just the right place in the universe to benefit from the power of the sun without being destroyed.
Grace is the juice that runs down your chin after you bite into an apple.
Grace is finding out that your computer has auto-save function enabled.
Grace is loving someone that is clearly a lunatic. Or being loved by someone who knows that you are a clearly a lunatic.
Grace is the hug of a child who has been disciplined.
Grace is the sex after a fight.
Grace is the cool breeze that blows in the window at night.
Grace is to sin what calamine lotion is to poison ivy.
Grace is like applauding before a movie starts.
Grace is being in the same ballpark as a pitcher who throws a perfect game.
Grace is getting paid before you do any sort of work.
Grace is the laughter in the midst of tears.
Grace is the blood that flows out of an open wound.
Grace is the tears that flow from eyes polluted with dust and debris.
Grace is the rose that grows among the thorns.
Grace is the blackberry growing on a thorny bush surrounded by poison ivy.
Grace is the eye of a hurricane.
Grace is eyes that open in the morning after being crusted over during the night.
Grace is like a cloud in the sky over a desert.
Grace is the honeycomb inside the nest of bees.
Grace is the story inside a black and white film.
Grace is the forgiveness that we are assured comes as a result of the work of Jesus.
With each passing breath, we are bound more tightly to the grace God expends. God's grace is not only an amazing thing--it is beautiful. It takes the ugliness of humanity and wraps it in find velvet and silk and clean linen--the materials that kings use. Grace is the new life inside of a mother. That God allows humanity, creation, to continue is the greatest grace we find each day. His patience, anticipating that more will follow Jesus, is the most profound grace I can imagine.
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