grace

I've written a couple of posts already quoting lines from The Shack by William Young. I don't want to in any way replace scripture with this man's fictional manuscript, but the quotes I've pulled out really do make me ponder and I feel compelled to write about them. Thinking about this upcoming Easter weekend, the following caught my eye: "Grace doesn't depend of suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors." (p. 185, The Shack).
I think about this in two ways - my time of suffering and His time of suffering. Grace was all over each of those situations. First, my suffering... receiving grace wasn't dependent upon my losing my son. A tragedy didn't have to enter my life in order for me to receive the grace to walk through it. It was already there. From the very beginning, His grace was present. John 1:14 says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Let's face it, the only reason we exist in the first place is due to grace. The Bearer of grace that carried that heavy, wooden cross only to be nailed to it and left to hang and die (when He knew that was to happen from His first day on earth). That would be the "His suffering" I referred to earlier. Because of grace, the Father sent the Son to "become flesh and dwell among us." Through grace, God displayed His love of us - which is so much when we didn't (& still could never earn it) deserve it. I wrote a previous post about grace and mercy here.
To continue about the original quote... I do think, though, in the time of suffering, grace is felt, recognized, or at least desired so much more. I (selfishly/finally) began to praise God so much more for His grace and mercy and peace when it was what walks/walked me through my suffering. During that time, I was made more aware just how precious those gifts were in my life. I don't presume to put words in God's mouth, but perhaps that's a little of the reason for my time of suffering. And now, in a period of amazement and wonder at the new life that is beginning again within me, I am calling out and thanking Him for the grace and peace that has never left me.
I urge you to take some time this Easter weekend to reflect on the grace that covers your life. Thank Him for His suffering which was done for you.

"For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16