When Grace Does the Work
Slow down for a lil’ ol’ spell, friend, and come on up here on this here front porch. Now git yourself settled in real good because what we’re about to git to stirrin’ on is richer than a skillet plum full of warm peach cobbler fresh out of the oven with a big ol’ dip of vanilla ice cream on top. Yep, I was standin’ out by the barn this mornin’ watchin’ a determined little ol’ raccoon tryin’ to wash a corncob in the water trough like he was preparin’ it for Sunday dinner. He scrubbed and fussed and dipped that thing like he was earnin’ points for its presentation. And right then the Lord nudged my heart and whispered, “Friend, that’s you tryin’ to do work for what I already gave you.” Well, that’ll make you set your coffee down real slow. So, lean in close because Ephesians 2:8-9 flexes its big ol’ muscles here saying, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast.”
One of the biggest troubles in our nation today is that we’ve replaced the Lord with all our activities. We’d rather plum just talk about Him than talk to Him. We’d rather do all sorts of things for Him than bow before Him. It’s like admirin’ the tasty biscuits instead of thankin’ the cook. We get so doggone focused on the product of spiritual awakenings that we forget the One who actually produces them. Psalm 46:10 tells us to be still and know that He is God. Not be busy. Not be impressive. Be still. That means God values our quiet surrender more than our frantic spiritual activity.
Worship isn’t just singin’ real loud in a service. Worship starts with the condition of your heart. You can holler every hymn from here to glory, but if your heart ain’t bowed low, it’s just noise floatin’ through the rafters. And prayer, friend, prayer is one of the best gifts you can give another soul. God can do more in one breath of His power than we could do in a lifetime of our own strength. Jesus said in John 15:5 that without Him we can do nothing. That there means all our singin’, servin’, organizin’, and program plannin’ won’t amount to a hill of beans unless it flows from a heart that’s connected to Him.
These things, worship and prayer, don’t produce spiritual awakenings, but those spiritual awakenings are the result that comes from worship and prayer. Yet, here we are, fussin’ over programs, schedules, architecture, and who’s bringin’ the potato salad. We’ve plum gone and forgotten the main thing. We need to be bowin’ ourselves before the Lord Himself. Micah 6:8 reminds us that God’s not impressed with our programs or our polish. He wants us to walk humbly with Him. That means relationship first, activity second.
Father, help me give You my heart before I give You my hands. Teach me to seek Your presence more than Your activity and to treasure time with You above anything I could ever do for You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now, I do declare, friend, as you gather your duds and walk off this porch wandering on back into your own world of priorities, you gotta be holdin’ this here truth tighter than a little ol’ squirrel holdin’ his last winter acorn. God wants your heart more than your hustle. His grace is steadier than an old mule that refuses to be hurried along the trail and a whole lot sweeter than fresh honey doused all over a warm, buttered biscuit. Let that be settlin’ down real deep in your soul like a quilt warmed by the fireplace flame in the wintertime. And walk on ahead knowin’ full well that when you put your relationship with God before any activity, everything else starts fallin’ beautifully right on into place so them real good blessin’s right from the Lord Himself can be flowin’ freely.
With joy,
Gwen
