Held Together by Grace
Well, look at you stoppin’ by like a welcome breeze on a warm Texas afternoon, ready to settle in for a little Scripture gab‑fest right here on this ol’ front porch. It does my heart good to see someone wander up who wants to be talkin’ about grace, especially the kind that keeps us from makin’ a bigger mess of our lives than a lil’ ol’ raccoon that went and found the kitchen trash can, and before he knew it, the trash was all over the place. Well, you know, friend, there’s an ol’ sayin’ that goes, “There but for the grace of God go I.” It’s been around longer than a stubborn ol’ mule in a muddy pasture, and for good reason. It plum reminds us that the only difference between us and the worst trouble we can be seein’ in others is the grace of God holding us real steady. Titus 3:5 puts it pretty plain when it says, “He saved us, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy.” Now that there will humble you quicker than a lil’ ol’ Banty rooster that just lost a crowin’ contest to his arch-rival the big Rhode Island Red rooster.
Paul understood this better than anyone. In 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 he said he was the least of the apostles because he persecuted the church, but by the grace of God he was what he was. That there’s Bible talk for, “Friend, if God hadn’t stepped in, I would have been a disaster.” Ephesians 2:1 reminds us we were dead in our sins before Jesus raised us to life. Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And Psalm 86:15 reminds us that God is full of compassion, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. That there means every one of us is real capable of more foolishness than an ol’ goat tryin’ to climb a greased stump, yet God keeps right on pourin’ His grace on us anyway.
Grace ain’t something we can earn. It’s something God pours out like rain on dry ground. It keeps us from falling apart, keeps us from judging others too quickly, and keeps us aware that without God’s mercy, we would be in the same dirty ditch as the person we’re tempted to criticize. Romans 12:3 tells us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. That there’s God’s gentle way of saying, “Friend, stay humble. You are not as shiny as you think.”
Father, thank You for Your grace that rescues, restores, and redirects. Keep my heart humble. Help me see others with compassion instead of judgment. Remind me daily that everything good in me is because of You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Now, friend, as the breeze settles and the porch boards stop creakin’, here’s the heart of it all. You gotta let your heart stay as humble as a lil’ ol’ barn cat that finally realized it’s not the boss of the farm. Let grace be steadyin’ your steps like a sturdy fence post in a Texas wind. Let compassion git to risin’ real tall in you quicker than a lil’ ol’ jack rabbit that spotted some fresh clover. And don’t never be forgettin’ that every single breath, every single blessin’, and every doggone bit of goodness in your life is plum pure grace that comes right straight from a God who loves you way more than you can ever begin to measure.
With joy,
Gwen
