Grace, peace, mercy, and love from God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit!
One thinks of Easter – one also thinks of spring. Isn’t it grand to know the grass is greening, trees are beginning to bud, some flowers have bloomed while others are showing green sprouts. The essence of spring is predictable but never precisely.
Similar, I think to the God we serve. I opened with: “Grace, peace, mercy, and love from God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit!” Is God’s grace predictable? What about God’s peace? Is God’s mercy predictable? How about God’s love? Since volumes have been and will be written on each of these, I won’t try to answer them precisely. I will, however, make a bold statement – like the changing of seasons, they are more than predictable, they are assured to those who believe and even before their belief. They, however, present themselves in very unpredictable forms.
It is springtime in the Rockies. The grass is really green: moisture and fertilizer assured that outcome! However, if it would only quit precipitating (both rain and snow) so I have a chance to mow before I need to hay and bale it! Some trees are leafing out – some have bud swell – others haven’t even “budged” because of a weird November (there is worry many have died). The crocuses and daffodils have been and gone. Iris are getting ready to present their marvelous colors. Green shoots on rose bushes indicate they too will bloom. Predictable – but – not even precisely for it is in God’s time with each season different offering both excitement and joy.
God’s grace, God’s peace, God’s mercy, and God’s love are predictable to those that believe, even before there is belief – but – never precisely. A friend recently suffered a stoke. Was it predictable – possibly to some in the medical community. However, I don’t believe anyone on this planet could precisely predict the date, time, and circumstances of the “event.” Was God’s grace present – oh, yes! The friend prayed enroute to the hospital, by helicopter, God be with me – if this is it I’m ready to be with you, if it is not then that’s okay too! Did the friend know God’s peace – most assuredly. However, not the peace defined as the absence of difficulties – the peace that presented itself was the certain knowledge God was with him. Was there mercy – oh yes, but not as anyone might have predicted! The friend told staff members attending to him of God’s great love for not just him but for all of them…WOW! Was there love? As I spoke with the friend’s spouse, there was God’s love: love of the medical team, love of neighbors, love of friends, love of Christian brothers and sisters. Oh, my – the love that was present in her eyes as she related many ways God’s love was present.
Predictable, oh probably…precisely, no one could have even come close! God’s grace, peace, mercy, and love…oh, how wonderful! The amazing part of all this is: we are not unintentional bystanders on the stage of life. God gives each of us the privilege of being on the stage in the exact spot where we find ourselves to tell of God’s unbelievable grace, peace, mercy, and love for all of creation.
May God richly bless you this day and forever.
In Christ –
Ed
Eric is our current Webmaster and works on the NLS Communications Team. Raised in Judaism, he found Christ and the New Testament at age 16 in a Southern Baptist Church. He searched many denominations for the real church, only to find the Holy Spirit is present in all of them. He's worked for One for Israel, a group of native Israeli believers who are sharing the gospel in the holy land in Hebrew and is part of the only Hebrew speaking seminary in Israel.
