I sit in the light of the full moon and night is as day. It is as though the moon is a lamp that has been turned on to dispel the darkness of a room. It’s a monthly lighting that takes my breath away by it’s beauty. When the moon reaches it’s fullness the things that I know are there in my yard…the maple trees and blue spruces and even the hog barns…are illuminated gently, yet definitively so. When the time comes for the ‘new moon’ and the night is at it’s darkest night, the truth remains that the trees and the buildings are still there. I know this even though I cannot see it.
I have found grace to be like that as well. Sometimes I see things clearly lit by grace and other times I have to believe the truth of what is true. It is in those full grace times when I see the truth that I am loved unconditionally, that my security is found in the truth of who God is, and that I can be fearless and courageous. However, it is in the times when my world is dark and grace cannot seem to cast its light into the dark corners that I have to believe the truth that I am loved unconditionally, that through Christ I am fearless and courageous, and that I rest secure in God because He says I can. They say that seeing is believing, but I think believing is seeing. If we want to see, we must believe.
We must believe first and ask God to open our eyes to see.
Everyday.
In every way.
I want to see the grace that He freely gives.
Sometimes that’s hard because His grace points me in directions that bring me suffering because I am needing to give up some pet sin that I continue to feed and take care of or a habit or way of thinking about myself that He wants to bring under His sanctifying healing touch. It’s then that I long for the gentle illumination of grace and when I get outside of myself–away from my external and internal distractions and simply look to Him, I see clearly.
And I welcome grace.
