The Space for Grace

Today I’m sharing a Daily PIC that has been in my prayer journal many times before but that I’ve recently reinserted.

It’s a verse that I first began to pray as the kids grew into young adults with their sites set on destinations that were farther away and bigger than this mama was sure they and she could handle-

• As Katie headed for college summers in California on mission with CRU and Upward Sports,
• As Graham trekked to Colorado on mission with CRU,
• As Taylor began the long journey of med-school and then residency,
• As they moved to cities away from us to live and work and find their own lives-

I have prayed 2 Corinthians 9:8 over them.And now as I’m in the thick of caring for and honoring my dad who drifts away a little more every day into the depths of dementia- I’m praying for grace to cover his life. I’m asking for grace to fill every space my sister and I encounter as we care for him- one day at a time- in a way that pleases God.

That’s the gift of grace– the unmerited kind and loving favor and presence of God, lavished on me through the completed work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).

And it’s the way of grace– abounding at my point of need and providing what I cannot and do not have in and of myself (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Grace– available, present, and enough for every new season, for every challenge, for everything that is mine to let go of or to do. For every space of life that is too big or hard for me to accomplish or make it through on my own- that is the space for grace. 

Perhaps this is why the apostle Paul began and ended every one of his letters with a prayer asking God for the blessing of grace– for unmerited favor . . .  for the provision and presence of Christ to all and in all he loved and had invested in for the sake of the gospel. He knew from his own journey- there would be times where sufficiency would not be found in self or other people. Not in resources or circumstances. Sufficiency would be in God alone through Jesus Christ. 

He wanted God’s people to access and live in the lavish grace of God- freely given in love by the Lord Jesus Christ. And he wanted us to learn from him and practice what he knew to be excellent and right (Philippians 4:9).

Today, I’m following Paul’s lead, and I’m inviting God into my tired and weary places-where I’m not enough on my own . . . where my effort and best intentions don’t reach . . . where I’m desperate for God to move and work and do more than I could even think to ask . . .

Into all of those places-  there is space for grace.

And for you as well-

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 1:3-5