Grace Is

Happy “Red Hot Days” of summer to you,

I was in Ft. Worth, Monday and looked down at the monitors on the dash, it was 105 the A/C was on low and I was perspiring. The grass in the medians was as brown as fried bacon and the pin oaks were bowing in prayer. When I flew out of DFW on my way home, I prayed for rain, to break a drought that has lasted 58 days and has caused the cattleman to have to take their stock to the auction houses where they line up for miles, with their cattle in their trailers because the
grass has dried up and there is nothing for their livestock to eat.

I was in and out of my old childhood hometown, but I left with good memories. I was on an assignment; it was just another play I ran for my coach, but this would be the last. Just like he had done so many times when I was a kid in a high school football game. He had been our coach for all four years starting at the ninth grade and he was beloved by everyone. He had nicknamed me, “Sticks” because my legs were so skinny, I had to tease the hair on my legs to keep my socks
up. We would be standing on the sideline and the game was not going our way and he would call for me. “Sticks” get in there and do something. For the last 25 years he has asked me to speak at his funeral, it was something I did not really want to talk with him about. We usually don’t want to talk about such things, do we but I agreed. It was like this when the pastor asked for me to come up the pulpit and speak it was like Coach Elo Nohavitza calling me on the
sideline saying, Sticks get in there and do something. He called me when he gave his life to Christ, he has been raised Catholic and married Anna a sweet Baptist girl whose love for Jesus and by her example, she became his evangelist leading him to Christ by her Godly life. We had stayed in touch for over 60 years and my Mom would see him she would update Coach on where I was and what I was up to. One of my friends who I played baseball with for five years, whose son happened to be the lead staff pastor the church where the funeral was held told me Cleddie, every time he talked about you, he cried. Three months after Coach had called me and told me of his conversion, he called rejoicing to tell me he had won his first convert to Christ, he was just as happy about that as he was his own salvation. His influence on me as a young man has lasted a lifetime.

This morning when I woke up I my morning muse was on Grace, these are just a few of my thoughts, It is dangerous to kid one’s self when it comes to Grace.

“The one thing that I do not want and that is someone else to define for me is grace.”

Grace is the power to love when it would be easier to despise. Grace is the strength to say, yes to hard task, when it would be easier to just ignore the reality of a need.

Grace is the disposition to love the unlovable because you understand that in different circumstances in your life you could have been dealt a different set of cards. (The Apostle Paul said it best, “But for the GRACE OF GOD THERE GO, I.”

Grace is the liberty to change my horizon and life goals for I to press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling in God. Grace is the awesome privilege of the redeemed to become a reflection of their Redeemer in the best and worst of times.

Grace is the attribute of the Sovereign God, who has given us His Grace in life. It is a tricky word for on the one hand it means, freedom, independence and liberty. On the other hand, it means, subjection and dependence. (It is like a young woman who leaves home for the university that felt she had achieved her sovereignty for the first time in her life. Her interpretation of freedom is seen in her rebellion to the house rules of her family. Her problem was that she became her
own Sovereignty and as a result her independence without subjection brought her into the dilemma of, he owns willfulness.

Grace is a wanting to please the one who has imparted His grace to you in the first place.

Grace is the ability to show up when needed or when you happen to show up and someone needs a helping hand, you pitch in and remain until a task is finished.

Grace is a wanting in your heart to obey the words of Jesus, not just to say you believe in Him.

Grace is love compelling you to go the second mile when only one is required.

Grace is the unique gift to laugh at yourself when it would be much easier to just sit down and cry.

Grace is the reminder that you represent the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and you cannot allow your emotions to be unrestrained and your mouth to defy who lives within you.

Grace is with candor to be able to say, “I know whom, I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” Grace is Yes, to I am His and He is mine.

Grace, Grace God’s Grace, Grace that is greater than all my sins,

Grace, Grace God’s Grace...

Grace that can pardon and cleanse within.

I love you; I believe in you and we need you,

Have a great rest of your week,
Yours for Souls,
Cleddie “Sticks”