Three-fold Blessings
Well, now, friend, some mornings hit you so hard you feel like a chicken trying to explain itself at a fox convention. Come right on up here on this here front porch and settle yourself where the evening light softens everything it touches because what I’m about to share has been crossing my thoughts like a curious little fawn that keeps inching closer just to see if you brought something real good to eat. Life has a funny way of surprising us. One moment you think you have everything neatly lined up, and the next your thoughts are tumbling around like a bucket of minnows that can’t decide which way the creek is flowing. That’s exactly why we need the grace, love, and fellowship of God to steady us because without Him our minds can wander off faster than a rabbit that just spotted an open garden gate. So, lean in close friend, because the truth we are about to git to walking in is more soul‑settling than anything this old porch has ever listened to on a summer night.
Second Corinthians 13:14 is a mighty good place to settle your spirit and stay awhile. It says, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Now that’s about as comforting as realizing the rustling in your trash cans at midnight was not a bear plotting your demise but just the neighbor’s dog looking around for an extra treat. This verse lays out three keys to life, and friend, they are better than finding an extra buttered biscuit at the bottom of the basket.
First, there is the grace of Jesus Christ. Grace is Christ seeing us exactly as we are, yet choosing to forgive, cleanse, and make us whole because of His sacrifice. Then, comes the love of God the Father. This is not flimsy, fickle love. This is perfect, unconditional, unfathomable, unending love from the One who is love itself. And, finally, there’s the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. He brings a companionship sweeter than a jar of fresh honey, teaching us truth, guiding us toward righteousness, and producing fruit in us that no orchard on earth could match.
Today, you can step right into all of this. This is not the deluxe upgrade of Christianity. This is the normal Christian life God desires for you. Ask Him to make you deeply aware of the grace of Christ, the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit until it settles into your heart like a warm quilt on a chilly morning.
Father, help me see and truly understand, deep in my heart, what it means to be filled with the grace of Jesus, the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. I desire to know this in all its fullness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Now, friend, as you gather your duds and head on off this porch and git yourself right back into the ol’ wide world where thoughts can wander and worries can multiply, remember that God’s grace is stronger than a river current that refuses to be stopped. His love is fuller than a harvest moon rising over a quiet field. His fellowship is steadier than an old oak tree that has stood the test of time keeping its place through a hundred storms. And His presence will meet you faster than a hound that smells bacon cooking on the stove. Let these three keys unlock the peace of Christ in your heart today.
With joy,
Gwen
