The Grand Canyon

I've never been to the Grand Canyon. I've seen it on many movies and read about many aspects of it. I even planned a trip that included a pack mule trip to the bottom of the canyon and a few days at a camp by the river. (Then life happened...so the trip didn't.) If you have never been to the Grand Canyon, it seems almost impossible to imagine it. The canyon is, on average, nine miles accros. I grew up in a small town in Michigan and the next towns to the East and West were both nine miles away. As Mid-Michigan is absolutely flat, I have a good reference point for nine miles by car. But it is hard to imagine seeing it all at the same time.

Jerry Bridges uses a powerful word picture for God's grace using the Grand Canyon in his illustration. A common perception of God's grace, (and one that I have considered from time to time) is what he adds to us to achieve his standard. We can go so far toward living sin free, and he makes up the difference. If we are trying to travel 100 miles and run out of gas at 90, he will give us ten miles worth of gas to travel the rest of the distance. If, however, we can only travel 60 miles on our tank he will provide the difference of 40 miles worth of gas.

But God's grace doesn't work this way. If we consider what Paul writes in the book of Romans:

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”
-Romans 3:10-12

No one is righteous. Not even one. Even if we think we are seeking God, we aren't doing it by his perfect standard. Even if we think we are looking him in his face, when compaired to Jesus we have turned away. No one does good.....not a single one.

This means we have sugar water in our gas tank. We are trying to pay with worthless currency. We think we can go a long way toward God, but really we are paralyzed and can't move.

Getting back to the Grand Canyon analagy, if I can jump six feet from where I am standing I would need God to build a bridge 47,514 feet for me to reach him on the other side. My six foot jump may be impressive in a track meet, but it is totally useless when leaping the Grand canyon. Even if I set a world record and jumped 29.36 feet (set by Mike Powell in 1991), it would be worthless to me if trying to span the nine miles needed to reach the other side.

This is what Paul was talking about in the verse above. God doesn't build us a bridge 47,514 miles. His bridge has nothing to do with how far I can jump. He builds it from one side of the canyon to the other. He built it out of two simple pieces of wood about 2,000 years ago upon his son's back. That bridge still stands today for each of us. But we can't jump across it. We can only be carried across by Jesus, which is the Grace of God.

Thank you Lord for knowing that I had fallen short in all that I had done to reach you, and loving me anyway. I came to you once broken, but now I come to you strong in your Son. As I survey the cavern that I have crossed, help me to know that it is indeed just that. Crossed. Finished. And now I rest in you.

Footnotes

I sometimes think that when God authored my life, he included footnotes along the way referring me back to various pieces of information from my past or new references to things that will give me more information. His word is an ever growing list of powerful foot notes that are added to my understanding of my journey.

At the point in time when I gave my life to the Lord, each of these foot notes were listed to give guidance on future events. These footnotes give the reader of my book clarification of the end goal (Christ likeness) and how I will get there. As my salvation is "worked out" with God, I believe these footnotes are peppered on the pages of my daily walk.

The day that it became clear to me that my actions are in response to the Lords grace, not a means to earn it, there is a footnote referencing Romans 11:6:

But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. -Romans 11:6

Likewise, throughout my life I am sure there are constant references to Paul's words in Philippians each time the reader finds another example of a change in my heart leading me to be a more Christlike example.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. -Philippians 1:6

And each time I forget about the power of God's grace and try to add my efforts to it, the all popular question from Paul appears again (and again......and again......)

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? -Galatians 3:3

As music is such an important piece of my life, I think there are also many footnotes that refer to hymns and songs. I can't think of a song writer that would be credited more times in my book than John Newton with his weekly mention for various thoughts in his "Amazing Grace" composition. As I think this morning of how God continues to perfect us I'm sure there is a note that says, "See John Newton, Amazing Grace. Second half of third verse:

’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

How about you? If you could read from God's book of life, where would the footnotes from your chapter lead you? If you are a believer, I'm sure these footnotes will be full of grace. Not only for your salvation, but grace for today.

Father, I thank you for your everlasting grace. I thank you for pointing out through your word, and my life where you are working and for the confidence that it is indeed your work. Your promise that you will not give up on me until you are finished. I so look forward to standing before you as your creation. Molded and shaped to be the final work that pleases you.

How precious...today

See, we have left everything to follow you! What then will we have? -Matthew 19:27

Recently I was in a period of what I call, wilderness walking. It was a time of frustration not knowing what direction I should head or where I was even traveling. Even though I was convinced that God launched me on that journey, I longed to be back in the place from which I had come. I don't do well in the wilderness. I complain. I turn to the side. Even sin that has been dead in me for a long time again shows it's ugly face. But the Lord blesses me and moves me to the land that he was leading me anyway. He proved faithful this week by leading me home again.

I find myself on this roller coaster quite often. We are taught in books and in church that we should spend time in prayer, read the bible, tithe, go to church... In my naturally legalistic mind, I assume that when I do these things I will receive God's blessing. And conversely, when I am not doing these things God will withhold some blessing that he had intended. I answer Peter's question above for myself all the time. "What then will I have?" In times when I am doing well I expect great blessing. In times that I have fallen away I expect to have my prayers go unanswered. But that isn't the way God works.

So why did God move me through the wilderness walk I was taking into the promised land at the end of the journey right when I was at my spiritually worst moment? It didn't make sense why he would bless me when I was wallowing in my self pity. Is it because I obediently left where I was happy in the first place? It certainly wasn't because of my willing nature along the way.

The answer is because his blessing is a product of His grace, not my action. I ran across this quote in my reading this morning which explains it better than I ever could.

One of the best kept secrets among Christians today is this; Jesus paid it all. I mean all. He not only purchased your forgiveness of sins and your ticket to Heaven, He purchased every blessing and every answer to prayer you will ever receive. Every one of them - no exceptions. -Jerry Bridges: Transforming Grace

If my prayers have already been answered, and the blessings of God have already been paid for by Jesus, what am I supposed to do? It was so easy for me to accept his gift of salvation as I know I was dead in my sin. But it is another thing to understand for the first time that His grace does not stop there. He has forgiven all of my sin and given me all of his blessing.

I realize now that when I sing, "How precious did that Grace appear the hour I first believed" , it is a reminder that I haven't been appreciating the fullness of God's grace. When I consider that his full blessing is for today, this very moment, it is grace that is constantly added to my salvation. Not because I do well, not withheld if I do not. Jesus paid it all and I can not add to that. I realize that His grace is precious not only when I first believed, but this very moment.

Thank you Lord for your blessings. For the grace that you have rained upon me. Even when I turned back on the path you were leading me, you chose to guide me back in your direction. Thank you for teaching me that your grace goes much further than my salvation. It is for today, here, now. Open My Eyes Lord to see your grace in my life today. For when I see your grace in my life, I see Jesus walking beside me.

7 or 11?

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one. -Romans 3:10-12

At the moment that I came to Christ I declared spiritual bankruptcy. Totally broke and unable to pay my way. But what kind of bankruptcy was it? Chapter 7 or Chapter 11? When you file for chapter 11 bankruptcy you are forgiven of your "current debt" and allowed to reorganize your finances in hope that you can do better in the future, one day able to stand on your own successfully. Chapter 7 however requires you to admit that your business venture was a complete failure and you must permanently close your doors. Never to open again.

As I understand salvation, I would say that I have filed chapter 7 bankruptcy as I know that:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. -Ephesians 2: 8,9

But do I really believe that? When I fall back into a sin of the past, or fail to move in an area that I know God wants me to, am I confident in my faith. Confident to share the gospel. Full of the joy of my god? Able to worship in spirit and in truth? I don't think I am living my life with that Blessed Assurance that I have permanently filed bankruptcy now and forever solely depending upon God's grace for my every breath, thought and action.

I propose instead that I have filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy where Christ has forgiven my debt, but as a Christian I am going to reorganize my life and "try harder" the next time to be successful. God has pointed out my mistakes, shouldn't I be able to learn from them?

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all of our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment -Isaiah 65:4

Yes, by his grace we should learn, but without his grace we will never succeed. We can never step away from the power of his grace. This is when we stumble.


Lord I pray that you show me your grace today. Give me a sure path and help me not to stumble. Give me your clear direction and the power to move. Most of all Lord, raise me up and move me. Reign in me today.