GRACE

Grace comes in many forms, sometimes it shows up in a smile, or the man in my office holding the elevator door. Sometimes it comes after a deep confession of hard things long held and embodied… The hard stuff we carry for so long that it becomes a part of us… Where we are wounded, we learn to listen to the voice of the accuser… The lies that so easily entangle around our good hearts that make it so hard to hear the voice of love. I am reminded this morning of the difference between “Purity” and “Holiness!” For much of my Christian faith I have worked and strived to be pure… Believing somehow that God loves me because He is supposed to, but like me? That only happens when I perform and do things right. Purity is all about separation from… Separating from all that is bad… It keeps us lonely and in hiding. Im coming to believe that holiness is the way of Jesus.. Holiness is all about wholeness… About being with, and in community. The way to wholeness is found in our ability to be known and to know. Jesus offers us wholeness, He didn’t dabble in purity, he made broken things clean and pure. He does that work. He didn’t wait for me to clean up my act before reaching down into my mess, my loneliness, my addictions and attachments… He reached into messy places and touched what was unclean… It is His kindness that leads us to life change. You can’t be touched by others, by Jesus and stay the same. Love compels us to community. If you are struggling with your thoughts, your wounds and your pain, try something… Reach out to a dear friend, let them in, let them see you… Chances are through confession you will find the forgiveness and the love needed to become whole.