Grace Notes

In music composition, grace notes are a small addition or embellishment that is added before the playing of a note, harmonically a nonessential.  But these tiny notes add to the beauty of the melody.  Biblically, grace notes are not an embellishment but grace is the substance, an absolutely essential element of the majesty of God.

Grace will almost always appear as the stupidest, not obvious, most unnatural, unnecessary, foolish thing to do, and the costliest.  But grace will always emerge out of the bleakest barren ground to completely change the landscape.

Even in what we may never see.  Even in what comes after our lifetimes.  Even in those who are yet unborn, those we do not know or who do not realize the life-changing marks woven in their lives.  Even among the rebellious.  Even among us. 

Grace is not ignoring the transgressions against us, or pretending there was never anything awry, but making the relationship the most important thing.  It is not a matter of being proven right or winning a fight, but making things right, in order to keep, restore, and reconcile our relationships.

Kindness comes out of our small change.  Grace is the most expensive watch in the case.  God says, “Love others, be gracious, full of grace, forgiving, taking the coat off our backs, walking that second or third or hundredth extra mile, forgiving even after we have lost count.”

Just as we have been loved by God.  Just as God has covered us by His grace.  And now we are free to extend to others.  God says, “I love you no matter what.” 

          Repeat after Me.

Grace is never earned nor deserved.  That is what makes it grace.  These hard situations we are in, these difficult people we work with, live beside, or encounter along the way, these ENORMOUS (all capital letters) wrongs against us are not roadblocks or irritations or ammunition, but just opportunities to train in grace. 

Practice grace in this.

          Repeat after Me.

 

O LORD,

Please change not just our thoughts and attitudes, but our affections. 

                         What we love.

Change our minds.  Change our hearts.

And show us Your way of grace in place of no way. 

Help us to be not just mindful of keeping a relationship,

but intentional in nurturing relationship. 

You love.  You forgive. 

You show us the grace we never even imagined.

                   Even in what appears impossible.

Help us to do the same.

 

And God is able to make

            all grace abound to you,

so that having all sufficiency

in all things,

at all times,

you may abound in every good work.

 

                        2 Corinthians 9. 8