When you find yourself driving up to a set of railroad tracks and the crossing gates are up, your natural instinct is that it's okay to cross. So you go ahead and drive through without even giving it a second thought. But what really is happening is you are taking for granted that those gates are working properly and there is no train barreling down at you at 60 mph.
In a somewhat similar fashion, those of us who are believers accept God's grace for granted on a daily basis (and rightfully so). We accept that He is there watching and protecting us, and showing favor upon us, and so we go on and live out our daily lives without ever considering what could happen just around the corner. In the grander scheme of things we are not only living fearlessly, but trusting God in those moments of our lives. Or, just plain old living in faith and grace.
On my ride to church this past Sunday morning the Chris Tomlin version of Amazing Grace was playing on the radio. This hymn of all hymns reaches many people differently.
For myself,aside from the saving a wretch like me part, it's:
The Lord has promised good to me
His Word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
as long as life endures.
It's great that I can go about my daily life knowing my hope is secure in Him. I don't have to dwell on what may happen around the corner.When God is a portion of your life, He pours His grace and love upon you more than you could ever imagine. When we stay close to God He remains in every detail of our lives. We don't need to try to figure it all out because:
1. His Word remains
2. His grace remains
3. His love remains
Preceding this hymn the local radio station had as their Word of the Day Mathew 5:8 from The Message:
You're blessed when you get your inside world
-your heart and mind- put right.
Then you can see God in the outside world.
I think God was trying to convey something to us when He added this piece of scripture to the verses surrounding it which make up The Beatitudes. Some refer to these as the how-to-be-attitudes.
The word blessed is a grace word that expresses joy and satisfaction to those who have experienced salvation. It also means: happy.
When your heart and mind are filled with the joy of the Lord you are then able to see God in your worldly struggles.
When we invite Christ into our hearts we are inviting Him into our lives. We should carry the attitude of blessed because with it God carries the attitude of grace.
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