“This man welcomes sinners . . .” Luke 15:2

“Grace is the active expression of God’s love for us.”  Brennan Manning

Grace has been foremost in my life this past week.  I’ve been desperately in need of it, but I’ve also been keenly aware of it.  Perhaps that’s how it works; those times when we are most in need of grace are the times when we are most capable of recognizing it, and receiving it. 

I am not alone in my need for grace.  We live in a grace-less world, and often-times a grace-less church.  People, religious or not, are dying, whether they recognize it or not, for grace.  People everywhere and in every station of life, want and need someone or something to value and love them, not for what they can provide or promise or produce in return, but simply for who they are.  People are desperately in need of grace, and it is a gift that it is in short supply.

What is grace?  Grace is a gift. Simple as that. It is a gift given by God that comes to us in many forms, frequently that of other people. On my drive back from Denver on Friday (a day filled with grace in numerous forms), a rock hit my windshield.  I’d just replaced my windshield a month ago to the tune of $450.00, and shuddered at the thought of shelling out that kind of cash again. So I immediately drove to the nearby Safelight shop.  I asked if they could do an immediate chip repair to keep the crack from spreading.  The grace-less response of the person was, “Yes, it will cost between $110.00 and $180.00, and we can’t do it until 3:30 tomorrow.”  I expressed to her that by that time the crack would have spread, and I would need an entirely new windshield.  She didn’t care.  Grace-less.  As I moved toward the door to leave I asked her, “Is there anyplace else in Boulder that does chip repair?”  She directed me to the Jiffy Lube less than a mile away.  When I pulled in I was met by two employees who seemed eager to help.  I pointed out the chip and asked if they could repair it.  “Of course we can.  We can do it right now”, they replied.  “How much will it be?”, I asked.  “Just give us your insurance information”, they replied.  “I’ll be paying cash”, I said.  “In that case, no charge”.  I was stunned.  Surprised by grace.  And grateful.  Within a half hour the job was finished and I was on my way.  A grace encounter. We have many of them, but most go unseen or underappreciated.

Grace is love, mercy, kindness, generosity and hospitality and so much more that is delivered gift-wrapped not in the fancy furnishings of a church building or in the popular programs that portray people in the best possible light. Nor is it seen in the glitter and glamor of the lives of those who seem to have “made it” and risen above the heartaches and hardships of everyday life.  Rather, grace comes disguised in the dirt and the grime and the grit of the lives of other people just like us who, whether they know it or not, are used by God to distribute these gifts.  These gifts of grace are precious diamonds in the rough.   Forget the “undeserved” part.  We don’t have to add that. There’s no need to!  What matters is the love of the Giver, not the attitude or the aptitude of the receiver, nor the worthiness or unworthiness found therein. 

Grace is the goodness of God that is given to us.  Period. Nothing is demanded in return.  We don’t have to do something more, give something extra or become someone else in order to prove our worthiness.  Grace is a heavenly cornucopia from which all of the compassion and care and kindness of God that can possibly be imagined spills out, and from which we are lovingly allowed to get our fill.   It is the gift of God garnered by the Christ and given through the Spirit.  It is filling and freeing and yes, even fun!  There’s an endless amount of it, so we don’t need to fear that the supply will run dry, nor do we, having been gifted by it, need to hoard it for ourselves or be stingy in it’s distribution. In fact, that’s one of the great things about being given grace, that we are allowed to be givers of it as well, motivated not by guilt or obligation but by gratitude.  Grace fills the cracked cups that appear as our lives so that we can in turn fill the leaking cisterns of others.  Grace comes at us from every direction and from no direction at all.  Grace cannot be adequately described with words, but must be experienced, and then embraced, so that we can, in love, embrace others with the same.

Yes, I needed grace this week. And I need it today.  And I need it every day, whether I recognize it or not.

What grace are you in need of today?

How have you experienced grace in your life?

What does embracing grace, and embracing others with grace, look like for you?