Saving Grace.

“By this time I’d-a thought I would be sleeping
in a pine box for all eternity.
My faith keeps me alive, but I still be weeping
for the saving grace that’s over me…” –Bob Dylan, Saving Grace, 1980.

I think the word grace defines my ever-present cataclysm of a Christian walk. I find myself akin to Paul as he wrote this:

“…Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.”

-1 Corinthians 15:8-11[NKJV]

I may not have persecuted the church but, the Lord knows I’ve done pretty much everything else. By God’s grace though He has seen us through quite a few rough spots;

God has blessed Jennifer and I more than we could have ever imagined possible. When we got married we had one thousand dollars in our pocket that 1K was for moving expenses, motel, food, rent [to an apartment we didn’t even have yet] furniture etc. We prayed though and were faithful to the Lord that He would supply our needs, and did the Lord supply our needs! After the wedding our bank account tripled, and when we drove down to Baltimore, MD we were blessed even further. The first apartment we looked at was in our price range, in a ‘good’ neighborhood. Later on that day the Lord provided for our furniture [a table, futon, queen-size bed] with little expense. Jenny and I have sought the Lord for anything and everything we need. We aren’t rich and I still am currently unemployed but, the Lord provides for us and we lack for nothing. Over and over again in my mind, I see just how much the Lord blesses me; even though I fail time and time again God shows His magnificent grace and mercy towards His stupid son. For anyone who is struggling right now: seek the Lord, His grace is there. When we are weak He is strong.

“Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:8-10 [NKJV]

“…The wicked know no peace and you just can’t fake it,
there’s only one road and it leads to Calvary.
It gets discouraging at times, but I know I’ll make it
by the saving grace that’s over me.” –Bob Dylan, Saving Grace, 1980.