Everyday Grace
Grace is without doubt the most beautiful concept in life. Not just a concept mind you, but a manifestation of unmerited favor, by the God who loves to the ones who don’t deserve that love.
Grace is brought to life in the story of the prodigal son, the son who received unmerited favor and blessings from the father. A ring, a robe, sandals and a party. Authority, character, freedom and a celebration.
The story encapsulates grace as we know it. ‘Encapsulates’ is actually a poor word choice, because one of the beauties of grace is that it can’t be contained. Grace doesn’t stop with the prodigal son. There is another character in the story, an older brother, and the antagonist through whom grace is re-awakened in another form. There’s grace that takes you home, and grace that keeps you home…
I think we all know the story of the Son who decides that home is no longer good enough, and wants to get more acquainted with the lull of the disco lights of the world. He takes his fathers livelihood and squanders it on immoral living. Nothing new there, clearly the devil has not stopped using his trusted Garden-of-Eden strategy to ruin people’s lives. ‘God is ripping you off’ he tempts. ‘Life is better in the world than at home’ he spits. What a liar. Friends failed, times got tough and the Son finally saw through the lie and realized how much better things were at home. How cruel the world really was. “He came to his senses” and returned home.
Home where a loving father exemplified grace in welcoming him into his arms. Home where full status of Sonship is given to the man who himself thought he was only worthy of servant. Grace always blows away expectations.
Enter the antagonist, the bitter brother who thought he should be entitled to similar blessings being the obedient one of the two. Similar blessings? Similar blessings? The father’s thoughts are illuminated behind the words of his reply: “Look dear Son, you have always stayed with me and everything is yours”. How could the brother have missed the plain fact that he never lacked a thing, and that everything he ever dreamed of was already his; at home!
Sometimes Satan says to some ‘God is ripping you off’. Other times he simply blinds the eyes of others who already have every blessing and richness of grace, but just don’t realize it. Which is worse? Believing the world outside has more to offer? Or blind to the beauty of grace at home?
Either way the beauty of grace abounds. Grace that takes you home, and Grace that is your home.