Caught by Grace
Now, glory be, Butterbean, let me be ‘a-gittin’ you on into this lil’ ol’ talk we’re ‘bout to be ‘a-havin’ in a real easy way jes' like a big ol’ turtle ‘a-climbin’ onto a sun‑warmed rock after a long night of ‘a-mindin’ its business in that there fishin' pond. Well, I’ll have to be ‘a-tellin’ you real plain that I was done out back this mornin’, ‘a-watchin’ a young armadillo ‘a-tryin’ to be ‘a-balancin’ on a fallen tree log like he was auditionin’ for the circus. Every time he done tried, he done slipped, he done plopped into a pile of soft moss that cushioned him like the Lord Himself had done arranged it. That silly lil’ ol’ critter done got me ta’ thinkin’ ‘bout how God has His own way of catchin’ us when we git ta’ fall’in. An’ that’s ‘zactly why 1 John 1:8 hits right at home. “If we claim we have no sin, we are only ‘a-foolin’ ourselves and not ‘a-livin’ in the truth.”
We all be ‘a-slippin’. We all be ‘a-fallin’. Some of us are done ‘a-fallin’ more often than a lil’ ol’ Banty rooster ‘a-tryin’ real hard to be ‘a-landin’ on a greased fence rail. But God, in His great mercy, has done gone an’ built us a real nice spiritual safety net.
Jus’ like them there real smart Golden Gate Bridge builders who done went an’ stretched a great big ol’ giant net right under them there workers, God done stretched His real good grace right under us, too. Romans 3:23-25 is done ‘a-tellin’ every doggone one of us that we have all done sinned, but God is real freely ‘a-makin’ us right through Jesus, who done went an’ shed His blood for us. That there means that when you go an’ stumble, you don’t git ta’ fallin’ into spiritual ruin. You done fall right on into grace. You done fall right on into mercy. You done fall right on into the arms of a Savior who done already paid the awful price for all your sins.
Now, listen here, Butterbean, this here ain’t no permission slip for any o’ us to go to sinnin’ like a lil’ ol’ raccoon ‘a-diggin’ an’ makin’ a big ol’ mess in a trash can. It’s simply the real truth that Christians still done git ta’ messin’ up. An’ ‘a-pretendin’ like you don’t do any sinin’ is jus’ like a lil’ ol’ pig ‘a-pretendin’ it don’t like mud. You’re only jes’ ‘a-foolin’ yourself. But Romans 8:38 reminds us that there ain’t nothin’, not even our own stumblin’, that can ever be separatin’ us from God’s love.
Your spiritual safety net done means you’re ‘a-bein’ held real tight-like. You’re done kept real good. You’re done protected real good. You’re done loved even when you go to belly floppin’ right off the high divin’ board o’ life.
Father, I sho’-nuff’ be ‘a-thankin’ You for catchin’ me even when I be ‘a-fallin’ harder than an ol’ heavy sack o’ feed off a wagon. Be ‘a-helpin’ me to be ‘a-walkin’ in truth, ‘a-ownin’ my mistakes, and ‘a-trustin’ Your grace to be ‘a-liftin’ me agin’. Be ‘a-keepin’ my heart real humble and my steps real steady. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now, I”ll done be switched, Butterbean, as you step on out into your day, you gotta' be 'a-rememberin' that you may git to be ‘a-slippin’ ‘round like a lil’ ol’ calf on some real wet grass, but God’s real good net is still 'a-gonna be stretched out real wide beneath you so’s you can be kept real safe. His good grace jes’ don’t tear. His mercy jes’ don’t git ta’ comin’ apart at the seams. And His love is ‘a-gonna’ be ‘a-holdin’ you every doggone, single time you git to fallin’, even when you might jes’ be ‘a-landin’ with a big ol’ thud loud that's enough to be ‘a-scarin’ off all them there lil' ol' barnyard chickens with their feathers ‘a-flyin.
With joy,
Gwen
