Summertime! I love it! Imagine yourself laying down on a soft, comfy hammock in the shade of a palm tree. Your head is nestled on the feathers of a down pillow, your arms are laying loose at your sides, your foot is dangling off the edge, and the wind is gently rocking you back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. You have a week off from work, no deadlines are looming, no cell phones are beeping, nothing to do but close your eyes and sigh, "Aaaahhhhh".
Grace is like that. You don't have to do anything. Jesus has done it all."It is finished". All the work has been done. You've been given a free gift, a gift of freedom. Accept it, enjoy it, bask in it, delight in it, be thankful for it. Just let go-of those worries, that striving, those negative thoughts, that self-condemnation, that desire to control. Surrender it all to Jesus. Lay your head on His chest, feel His strong arms around you, relax in His unconditional love. "Aaaahhhhh".
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast", Ephesians 2:4-8. NASB
Such a vivid comparison!
ReplyDeleteThere is something about the sweet scent of summer grass, blooming flowers and sun-soaked air that does resemble grace somehow.
Lovely ...
Kathleen
Nothing I like more than basking in the "ahhhhhhhh" of God's grace! Thank you, Peggy, for stopping by the blog; blessings to you as you continue to reach out and to minister to other survivors of abuse. I pray God's rich love and blessing over your life in coming days.
ReplyDeletepeace~elaine
PS: Your artwork is amazing!