Grace

Our hearts will always judge and condemn. Religion joins this tragedy prescribing and demanding actions that promise atonement and redemption. No matter how hard we apply these religious disciplines we find ourselves constantly flawed and failed. Instead of "overcoming" we find ourselves continually trapped by our inadequacies and inconsistencies ... we are without hope.. we are anchored to our fallen humanity.

Grace however simply says: "It is finished, you are in a state of forgiveness. Love has overcome your humanity, hope is constantly dawning over the darkness of human frailty"

The love of God appears to our shame declaring that the cross, with it's agony and death, is a declaration of grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. God, in Jesus, chose death over judgment and love over vengeance. The cross shows us that our actions do not condemn us, if they did Jesus' mission of grace would have failed.

We are free to be accountable to the consequences of our actions. We are free to live a life of new beginnings. We are free to love God and not be trapped in unresolved guilt and fear. We are free to celebrate the miracle of God's unmerited and unconditional love for us, just as we are and without reservation.

Grace has overcome. This is far too wonderful for words, far too amazing for our hearts to comprehend and accept, however, even in spite of our guilt and our need to redeem ourselves, Grace is God's eternal gift to all mankind for all time. He has stretched out his hand from beyond creation and now offers it to you and me. It's there to be received.

This is beyond my ability to describe. My words finally fail me.