The New Sheriff in Town!

This last Friday was my birthday and I couldn’t help but to think of how the celebration of another year has not been the same since my wife Piper left this world for her glorious new residence in heaven.  The scriptures tell us that we have a mansion set aside for us there in heaven and I often times wonder what Piper’s mansion looks like. 

She was enchanted by rustic looking log cabin homes but also admired simple white, two-story farmhouses with a wraparound porch.  If I had to settle on one choice for her… I would be inclined to say that she has the white farmhouse surrounded by open green fields, a fruit orchard, a large garden and a forest of pines and towering Redwoods toward the back of the property… but I digress!

Those thoughts of missing her stuck with me this morning and when I opened my computer with a hot cup of coffee in hand, I was instantly drawn into the background picture on the screen of her standing in front of a restaurant in the little hamlet of Bodega Bay, taken on our 25^th wedding anniversary.  As I became absorbed with the picture, I instantly visualized what I would do if I was standing in front her right then and there…and the first thought that popped into my mind was that I would take the napkin and the just purchased pastry she was holding in her hand, set it down on the table behind her and simply hold her in my arms!

That perceived action made me think about all the times that I would come home from work, open the door from the garage to the kitchen and embrace her as she came up to greet me.  In many ways, those first few moments in close contact with her after work, were the best times of my day.  For no matter what had occurred on the job… the pressures and stress just seemed to melt away as I absorbed her essence that seemed to radiate peace, joy, encouragement and GRACE!

And you know?  God’s GRACE was one of the major themes that I learned about when I cared for Piper during the last eight years of her life.  We interacted with many different individuals during that time from folks in three different states.  I learned from first-hand experience that there are those whose words are proved by their actions and those whose words receive little follow through.  Putting that into a Biblical perspective… I came to understand that GRACE is the active demonstration of God’s LOVE.

While I forged ahead in my study of God’s LIGHT this last week, I came across a great example of Jesus demonstrating the physical application of Grace as He gave a hands-on lesson concerning God’s law of LOVE.  In this particular story, found in John chapter eight, Jesus had gone into the temple and began to teach the people when a group of scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in the act of adultery.  They wanted to test Him and told him the judgement that the Law prescribed and asked what He was going to do about it.

I kind of picture it this way… that Jesus simply smiled, bent over and seemed to write something on the ground with His hand and then turned to the woman’s accusers and said something like, “I’ll tell you what…

“The person who is sinless should be the first to throw a stone at her."*

The story then continues with her accusers being at a loss for words and one by one, turning and walking away until only the woman was left with Jesus.  Then after a moment or two of protracted time, Jesus lovingly looked over to the woman and addressed her and gently said,

“Where did they go? Has anyone condemned you?"  The woman answered, "No one, sir." Jesus said, "I don't condemn you either. Go! From now on don't sin."*

Once she left, Jesus turned back to the people He had been talking with and continued teaching them by saying,

“I am the true light revealing God’s character, principles and methods to the world. Whoever prefers what I am revealing, and opens their mind to understand this truth, will no longer walk in the darkness of Satan’s ways, or live in fear of God because of the devil’s lies, but will have the truth that brings eternal life (or “Light of Life” as another translation puts it) - (The Remedy Bible – John 8:12)**

When I read Jesus’ teaching in reference to the previous interruption by the scribes and Pharisees, it is easy for me to understand what Jesus was teaching, by both word and precept, to the people in the temple who had just witnessed the interaction.  For you see, Jesus was the physical manifestation of God’s GRACE being introduced into a Jewish religious life that had been governed by a strict and very black and white set of Do’s and Don’t’s!

Jesus was basically informing the people that there was a NEW LAW being introduced into the land… the LAW of LOVE… and that He was the New Sheriff in Town who would enforce the NEW LAW… by and through God’s GRACE!  Jesus’ words and actions with the scribes and Pharisees showed them that men (and women) no longer had the right to judge other people… their only job now… was first to LOVE God and then their neighbors as they LOVED themselves.***

And just how where they… and US today… supposed to do all that in the midst of personal trauma or heated situations when ugly things are being said and done to us and/or to those we LOVE?  In the same way that Jesus responded to the scribes and Pharisees who were ready to stone the woman caught in sin… By and with GRACE!

Do you remember the time in 2 Corinthians chapter twelve when Paul talked about the “thorn in the flesh” that he had to deal with?  Whatever the problem was**** Paul wrote that he had prayed many times that it would be removed from him but that Jesus specifically told him that,

“My GRACE is sufficient for you, for My POWER is perfected in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my weaknesses, in order that the POWER of Christ (ie; His GRACE) may rest upon me.”

In His reply to Paul, Jesus assured him that His GRACE was more than sufficient for Paul and directly related His GRACE to the POWER of God!  The word “sufficient” in the original Greek is defined as “the raising of a barrier and/or to be possessed of unfailing strength.” And the word “power” that is used twice in this verse, is the Greek word, “dynamis” from which we get our word “dynamite”  (Strong’s and Thayer’s)

In other words, when you and I extend GRACE to someone, it is NOT a sign of weakness or defeat, but a move that places the POWER of God’s GRACE directly into the situation in order to bring God’s answers, peace and satisfaction into the lives of those involved. 

Invoking God’s GRACE is actually a POWER MOVE!  It’s pretty COOL when you think of it that way… isn’t it?

I guess that is the LIGHT of LIFE (or the NOT-so-secret weapon we have at our disposal) that is in us that Jesus was talking about in John 8:12.

Seeing and employing GRACE as a POWERFUL weapon into our daily lives puts a whole new spin on it to me… How about you?

Have a terrific week as you meditate on the POWER of GOD’s GRACE… and with that in mind… Keep asking yourself:

“What am I EXPECTING today?”

 

*John 8:1-11 – God’s Word ©

**I can’t help but think of the Democratic Party here in the USA when I see this verse as a very plausible answer to the dark and morally unthinkable ways that they currently profess and speak and violently act against the current administration in the White House who are simply trying to protect our citizens and reverse the damage done to our country by the last administration.

***Matthew 22:37-39 / Mark 12:30-31 / Luke 10:27

****Most theologians don’t know what the problem was as the scripture is not specific about it.  Some say it was physical sickness although a study of the Greek words and terms used by Paul tend to convince others that it was more likely the personal persecution by the naysayers that followed him wherever he went.