Devotions

The GRRR Before the Grace

GRRR…..

The sound comes from deep within me before I can stop it some days.

This animal-like growl signifies that I have been inconvenienced, interrupted or annoyed in some way.

Maybe I have to wait longer than I would like to in the check out line, or one of the boys has asked me to get up to make food literally two minutes after I have sat down or walked in the door (If you have teenagers, you know exactly what I am talking about). Maybe I haven’t eaten or had my coffee yet.

You get the picture. It doesn’t take much to trigger our GRRR button.

The GRRR is our default setting.

It takes more effort to get to a place of grace.

But there was One who did not growl when inconvenienced or interrupted.

He did not get easily annoyed with people or circumstances,

“And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we saw His glory, glory that belongs to the (One and) only begotten Son of the Father, (the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is) full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception) “ John 1:14

For Jesus, there was no GRRR before the grace.

He didn’t become impatient when the lines of people wanting to see Him became great. He repeatedly and consistently offered love and mercy.

“ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14: 14

“And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them” Matthew 15:30.

After a long day, the disciples were tired and hungry. They were ready for Jesus to send the people away.

Jesus had other ideas.

“When the day was nearly gone, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is an isolated place, and it is getting late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.

But He replied, “You give them something to eat!” And they asked Him, “Shall we go and buy 200 Denali worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” Mark 6 :35-37

I am guessing this was a GRRR before the grace moment for the disciples.

They were probably thinking: does He really expect us to go into town after a long day and buy food for all of these people?

But Jesus, who also had to be tired and hungry, performs a miracle.

“He said to the disciples “How many loaves of bread do you have? Go look! And when they found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” Then Jesus commanded them all to sit down by groups in the green grass. They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties. Taking the five loaves and two fishes, He looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people; and He divided up the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied. And the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of fish. Those who ate the loaves were five thousand men (not counting women and children).” Mark 6: 38-44

When Jesus became flesh, He did not offer the human response when He was interrupted or inconvenienced.

These were opportunities to show His love and mercy to a broken world.

Jesus offered grace spontaneously.

No hesitation.

No GRRR.

Today, may that same grace come before our GRRR …so that we, too can share His love with others.

Amen.

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