Echoes of Gracefeatured

God knows his children – every single one of us.  He knows every molecule in our bodies, how many hairs are on our heads, and knows our every movement and thought.  Psalm 139:1-4 tells us, “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.” Friends, we are fully known.

Part of me likes the idea of God being so intimately aware of me. I am okay with him knowing my molecules and hair count (although the number is getting smaller every day). I’m a little less comfortable with his knowledge of my thoughts and the words that are about to pop out of my mouth.

There is good news however – not only are we fully known; we are also fully loved. We are the recipients of God’s boundless grace. The apostle Paul explains, “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.” Because of the work of Christ on the cross, all of my thoughts, words, and actions that fall short of his perfection (also known as sins!) have been forgiven. 

I think God designed grace to be more than a one-time event in our lives.  Even though the grace given to me when I became a Christian cleansed me of my sin and assures me eternal life, I still have an ongoing problem with some of my thoughts, words and actions. I can try to rationalize them or cover them up, but none of that works. I am fully known. God knows exactly what is in my heart.

In Matthew 3:25-26, Jesus had a message for those who tried to hide or “pretty up” their sins: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

I need what I call “Echoes of Grace” to keep the inside of my cup clean. That is also the title of this painting.  The circular shape in the middle represent the grace received when I invited Jesus into my heart. The white semi-circular shapes represent the repeated times that I need his grace to “clean the inside of my cup.”  It happens when I confess to God what he already knows – I’ve sinned again.  Thankfully, he is always faithful to forgive with another echo of grace.

But there is more to grace than receiving it, we are to be stewards of God’s grace.  What we have been freely given, we are to freely share.  In the painting, I depicted our echoes of grace as the turquoise semi-circles radiating out from our God-given grace.  1 Peter 4:10 tells us, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Friends, you are fully known and loved! I pray that echoes of his free gift of grace will resound through your life.  The sound is a beautiful melody to God and also to those with whom you share echoes of his grace.