Goodness Gracious!

A year ago my favorite author released his newest book. When it released I was going through some hard times, I had been hurt by old friends. A relationship didn’t work out and I was at a breaking point. My hope is in the Lord and I had never felt closer to Him.

I didn’t feel like reading anything. Then God gave me an opportunity to go to a writer’s conference where I made new friends and, then I couldn’t wait to get behind a computer and check out what I learned.


For over a year, I didn’t remember my favorite author’s book. Mostly because I’d been busy reading one rock star YA writer’s books (which are romantic.)

Until I was asked by an agency to rewrite a screenplay I wrote years ago. Once I began the process of brainstorming new ideas, I realized how unqualified I am to take on such a huge project.

One particular day was pretty depressing and I was nauseous, the rewriting seemed impossible. It was an awakening to how helpless I am on my own.

I found myself curled up in a chair by a window where I left my favorite author’s book Grace > Greater. After being a Christian for over half of my life, I thought I understood grace.

Kyle Idleman explained grace in a way I never imagined. “Perhaps you’ve been in a place where you could not deny you didn't have what it takes... Because we're able to receive God's grace only to the extent we're able to recognize our need for it." Likewise, the Apostle Paul noted, we are strong when we’re weakest (2 Corinthians 12:9-11), that’s grace.

Grace?

Grace means the unmerited favor of God. Thus, grace is everything we are not, it won’t let you down. It has been the banner of the church for centuries.

• It is strength when we are weak.

• It forgives instead of burning bridges.

• It makes every hurt okay.

• It makes everything beautiful.

• Grace changes things.


It’s not just giving thanks for the food God has provided. One of the oldest Jewish traditions is the Siddur, a collection of prayers Jews offer to God. It means order; the hint of legalism is clear, pray to God this way.

After the destruction of the temple a familiar prayer was added to the collection, “Master of the world, it is not on the basis of our righteousness that we lay our requests before Your presence, but because of Your great mercies.”

It reflected a statement by Moses about God’s gracious ways after God came to the rescue while Israel was on the run (Exodus 34:6). Yes, grace is found throughout the Torah. Goodness gracious, the law the Pharisees had memorized, yet, quickly forgot as they rose to prominence.

When Jesus arrived, He showed them that they weren’t perfect. That is the purpose of the law—to show our need for God, His love, forgiveness, and power—everything we don’t have, but need.

After thousands of years of experiencing God’s grace, the Pharisees failed at giving it. Grace has a view like a panorama, it moves in circles, we receive grace and we must give grace (Matthew 18:21-35).

Jesus explained He came to save the lost and the sick (Matthew 9:11-13). Religious people don’t think they need grace and rarely give it to anybody. We all know deep down inside we really need grace.

Inside out?

I’m pretty sure the Pharisees knew in their hearts they needed grace, everybody hurts. Perhaps that’s why they were constantly trying to show off their good deeds (Matthew 23:1-6).

They failed to realize that grace isn’t about us; it is what God has done for us, again and again. One of my biggest concerns about the 21st-century church is we talk too much about who we are more than about God. God’s favor is based on God and not who you are. We are just counterfeits behind our white fences.

Last month I had the opportunity to go celebrate the release of a new devotional by the rock star writer I met last year. I enjoyed seeing her do the thing that God has gifted her with, she knows you love with your life.

Before I left she offered to help me with some of my own writing projects. I left thinking she is just as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. God’s not done with you just because things look good on the outside.

One morning I woke up worrying about a writing project and remembered I don’t need to know the how or when as long as I know the Who.


Sometimes we Christians get so concerned about who we think we are, we forget about who God is—just like the Pharisees—goodness gracious!