The Smile of Grace

I always know when my wife is doing well as she begins to hum or sing when I talk to her.  Normally her tune is accompanied by a big sassy smile, as if she thinks she is pulling off something devious on me!  Just the other day we were getting ready to go for a walk.  She had been extremely quiet all morning and as I helped her into her transport chair, she suddenly jerked, looked at me a little wild eyed and exclaimed “Now wait a minute there!”  Then she cocked her head and broke into one of her infectious smiles and burst out laughing.  I was actually in shock for a moment, but then rolled back onto the floor and joined her in a bout of glee.  I am not sure if she planned all that or not, but it certainly removed any caution off the day’s events and we went out into the sunshine and had a great walk!

I think that my wife is a living, breathing example of God’s gift of grace to us.  Just when it looks like things may be heading in a negative direction, she begins to sing or smile!  That is textbook grace to me!  God’s gift of grace is what causes us to live beyond the confines of our own understanding concerning the events in our lives.  Paul showed his consternation to the actions of the church at Galatia when they began to turn away from God’s grace and a life of faith and began to follow a confusing system of do’s and don’ts based on the Law and man’s own understanding.   He said, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness comes from the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21 KJV)

He was amazed that the people would knowingly set aside or neutralize the grace of God in their lives by following another gospel that seemed to make more sense to their own way of thinking.  It was almost as if the Gospel of grace was too simple for them!  In the next verse he rather bluntly calls them “stupid!”  (God’s Word ©)  I had a good friend years ago who was rather offended when the Living Bible came out and used the word “stupid” in some of its paraphrasing of the scripture.  He felt that God and/or the writers of the Word would never use such a derogatory description.  But when you look at Paul’s reaction to the church at Galatia, and get a feel for the passion behind his statement, the word “stupid” fits quite accurately here!  In the original Greek, this modern translation of “stupid” used here meant: “unintelligent, sensual or unthinking.” (Strong’s)

You can tell that Paul thought it was simply incredible that the people would put aside God’s grace for a system that made life a lot more difficult and peace and joy inaccessible.  They were trying to figure it out on their own and in doing do so, nullified the effects of grace for them.

Well, that’s not for me!  If I tried to go by what I see and understand on my own in my life right now, I don’t think that I could make it for another day.  God’s gift of grace and the truth of His Word energizes me and gives me the power, strength, hope and joy to go on until I see the manifestation of God’s promises to me.  Therefore I choose to live like my wife with a song on my lips and a smile on my face.  Why complicate God’s plan by trying to outwit the Creator of all things?  Besides, I don’t want to catch a glimpse of God shaking His head in dismay of me, but smiling in agreement with my unmovable trust in the simplicity of His grace.  How about you? 

Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word and thereby with His grace, and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting (of HIM) today?”