The end of the school year is fast approaching and the stress of finals, end-of-year projects, and performances is palpable in our home. Of course, the relief when something is finished is also readily recognizable in bursts of extreme silliness! For me, this time of year is more of an evaluation time than the calendar new year. I reflect on growth observed in my daughters; on the eternal value of my own activities; and where we are relationally as a family, with one another and with God. From the perspective of a year, God's grace is apparent in times and places that I couldn't see it in the perspective of the moment.
At the end of Paul's first missionary journey, the evaluation is stated as, "launched by God's grace and now safely home by God's grace." (v. 26) The picture of God's grace we are given here (in Acts 13-14) includes people being healed, many believing in Christ and choosing to follow the Master, and clear preaching of the gospel of salvation. It also includes confrontation with Bar-Jesus; John Mark's abandonment of the mission; an ugly scene of the crowd in a jealous rage; beatings and escapes; and a fickle crowd that beat Paul unconscious.
If I experienced this on a mission trip, would my evaluation state it as God's grace or would my narrative sound more like a list of complaints and obstacles? These very specific chapters on the experience of grace do beg the question, what is God's grace? We know the Sunday School answer is "unmerited favor", but why was this phrase used here by Luke to describe the end of this "Holy Spirit assignment" (13:4)? And would we be bold enough to put this definition into our conversation and say to someone who had sacrificed and suffered like Paul, "your work didn't merit anything, but you received favor from God?"
I believe my use of the word grace is too much focused on the circumstances - did it go well? was there a favorable response? did I come away feeling refreshed? useful? satisfied? did everyone return unharmed? Instead of focusing on the Source of all grace, the One whose "grace is enough; it's all you need." (2 Cor. 12:9)
On reflection, I believe this school year was "launched by God's grace" and is now ending "by God's grace." This is true - not because of the academic results, the spiritual lessons learned, the heart-breaking disappointments, the relational struggles, or because everyone got home safely on the bus each day - it's true because in every moment God's grace, manifested through His Holy Spirit, never left us alone. His strength came into our weakness every moment.
1 comment:
I was challenged by the fickle nature of "the crowd" who was watching Paul and Barnabas as they healed a lame man. At first reaction, after watching this miracle, they wanted to offer sacrifices to them and treat them as gods. They had to plea with them not to give them glory, but the Lord of heaven and earth and all of creation.
"Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them."
But note how quickly the crowd changes:
"Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead (Acts 14:9, 10, 18, 19NIV)
The crowd went from trying to worship them to actually stoning them. How can this be?
I am reminded that this is the fickle nature of our hearts and of the world's messages. They went from one lie (they are gods) to another (they are evil and need to be killed). How often are we inundated with lies of the world and vacillate from one lie to the next? Whether it's from TV or movies or Facebook or Twitter or a good book or a friend who means well or a family member who is trying to help.
Lord Jesus, help me to be light in the darkness rather than allowing the darkness to influence me. Help me to cling to the truth of Your Word and hold up every piece of advice or wisdom or knowledge or suggestion up to Your Word, for it is the only True Source of Life.
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