Christmas Grace

This year (2018) I chose 2 Corinthians 8v9 as my Christmas Bible verse and over the Christmas period have been thinking about various aspects of God's grace. Here are just a few of my thoughts:

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."
2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV

Free unmerited favour of God

Grace is the free, unmerited and undeserved favour of God. We certainly do not deserve God's favour nor can we do anything to merit it. In comparison with mercy, God's grace is where He gives us what we do not deserve; God's mercy is where He does not give us what we do deserve.

I could not help but think as I went about Christmas of all the blessings that God has showered upon us in His grace....food, clothes, presents, warm home, carol singing, family, and so much more. As we sat around the Christmas tree with the lights on and exchanged our gifts and then as we sat at the table filled with delicious food prepared by Isaac and Jemima, I could not help but think that God graciously provided this all for us. Not only that, we have technology, internet and social media to share our Christmas thoughts with others. Thank you Lord for giving us all these things. 

God's Amazing Grace

However, my thoughts go to God's amazing grace in sending Jesus to save us from our sins. I cannot fathom the depths of the riches of His grace and no matter how hard I try, I just cannot understand what it meant for the Lord Jesus to lay aside His glory and leave the splendors of heaven to come down to this old sin-cursed world. He was unimaginably rich and yet He was born in a dirty stinking old stable and laid in a manger that the animals fed from. The Son of God and King of kings was born in such poverty for our sakes. He was poor while He lived on earth. 

He grew up and although He lived a perfect life, wicked men took Him and mocked Him and whipped Him until His back was like a bleeding ploughed field. Then, they nailed Him to the cross where He endured all the wrath of God for our sins. He rose from the dead and went back to the glories of heaven. His sacrifice means that we can be spiritually rich if we repent and accept Him as our Only Saviour from sin, and then we will enjoy heaven with Him.

Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. By Him came grace and truth (John 1v14+17). By the grace of God He tasted death for every person and now He is crowned with glory and honour (Hebrews 2v9).

Riches of His grace

As believers we can enjoy the riches of His grace in this life too! Redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins. There are just so many blessings in the riches of His grace for believers, in this life as well as the next life.

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace."Ephesians 1v7

Sing with grace

Sing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. God's grace should be so abounding in our hearts that we just cannot contain the joy and we just have to burst out into praise for all He has done for us.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."Colossians 3v16

Pray boldly for grace

Pray with boldness, and yet reverently. On the basis of what Christ has accomplished on Calvary we have the right to come boldly into the presence of God and claim mercy and grace to help in time of need.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."Hebrews 4v16

In conclusion, I would ask you to reflect upon the grace of God. What does Christmas really mean to you? How have you experienced the grace of God in your life? What do you intend to do in appreciation of God's amazing grace?

My Autumn Thoughts

To everything there is a season. Autumn is the season of dying leaves producing the fabulous range of beautiful autumnal colours. To those of you who know me you will probably be aware that autumn is not one of my favourite seasons. (I much prefer spring and summer). However, the beauty of the colours really struck me as I walked through Windmill wood in Dungannon a few weeks ago. I could not help but take a few photos with my phone. They are not very good quality but here they are along with a few thoughts.

Windmill Wood, Dungannon

It had been a while since I walked through the woods on my way to town. The pathway had been swept but my eyes admired the carpet of rusty dead leaves under the trees. Then, my thoughts just went off in this direction:

I sometimes think of life as 4 seasons. Spring is childhood. Summer is youth. Autumn is middle age. Winter is old age. Each season of life has purpose and we can know contentment in fulfilling that purpose. God gives the grace and strength to face each season of life, whatever the challenges. Remember too, that godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6v6).

There is a straight path down from the windmill but the rest of the paths wind their way throughout the woods. I know the paths now and can enjoy a walk there. Life twists and turns irrespective of the season. Every pathway in life is not straight. We never know who or what is around the next bend for us to face.

The paths are swept to help prevent us from slipping on the wet leaves and falling. In life there is many a time we can slip and fall. Falling down does not make us a failure but staying down will. So, don't stay down. Get right back up again. Do not let the devil keep you in defeat. A just man may fall seven times but he rises up again (Psalm 37v24; Proverbs 24v16).

Look closely at the picture above and you will see a grey squirrel in the middle of it. They are busy scurrying around the woods at the moment collecting nuts and food for the winter but it is impossible to get close enough to them to take a photo with a phone camera. These amazing little creatures know to prepare for the winter ahead. We too need to prepare for our future and by that I am referring to our eternal destiny. Prepare to meet thy God (Amos 4v12)

In the middle of the woods a big tree has been cut down. I do not know the exact why, when or who particulars but soon it will be forgotten by a lot of passers by for there is nothing left now but a tree stump. This cut down tree reminds me that we can be cut down in any season of our life. So, we all need to make sure that we are ready to die. We all have an appointment with death that we must keep and we do not know how soon or suddenly that will be (Hebrews 9v27; Proverbs 27v1).

Cut down tree in Peatlands Park

I will conclude with a tag-along thought. One of my favourite places for walking locally is Peatlands Park. Adrian and I have also had some lovely Sunday afternoon walks there recently. It is a pleasure to get away out into the bog walks with the dogs. The two and a half mile walk is about my limit but I love it. Autumn stares us in the face there too but I can still enjoy it. I may be walking through the autumn season of life but I still find that the joy of the Lord is my strength.

Lake in Peatlands

What about you? How do you feel about autumn? Maybe you are not able to enjoy as you would like to or maybe you are not a walker. Nonetheless I hope you reflect upon your season of life and how it affects you spiritually.
Rhonda

Discover more about these two lovely places to walk:
Windmill Wood, Dungannon
Peatlands Park