Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns
If you think Jesus would have come into your home that day and not issued a strong rebuke to the head of household, you are mistaken. These words of condemnation have been haunting me for days now. They aren’t all that different than the soundtrack I play in my head on an almost-daily basis. It’s…
I am nesting. On Saturday I emptied the refrigerator. Last summer’s homemade pickles in their jars. The bread ends that seem to multiply on every shelf. The eggs. The milk. The fruit and veggies. All of it sat on the floor or the counter as I carefully removed the shelves and wiped them down with…
I’ve heard that life is like a highway. And it definitely seems like that sometimes. The pace of life swirls around me at dizzying speeds. We’re all so busy. In such a hurry. Always somewhere to be, something else to do. I’m a get-to-the-point, get-there-quick kind of girl. I don’t like to waste time on…
I get a chuckle, okay sometimes a belly laugh, out of the At&T “It’s Not Complicated” commercials. (And I’m not even an AT&T user!)
Have you seen this one?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZh105_r2Qk]
Infinity times infinity.
Mind. Blown.
That’s the way I’m feeling about grace these days.
Grace leaves me with nothing to say.
I consider myself a law-abiding citizen, of this country and the Kingdom of God, for the most part.
But my obedience was based on fear. I have feared the law because the law makes sense. If I do something against the law, consequences result. If I sin, I deserve to be punished.
Like Detective Javert in Les Miserables, I have sought to live within the law to make sense of a world of chaos and pain.
![By "[A]fter Brion" (meaning it was copied from a painting by Brion, which was common in the 19th century for illustrations. The 'copy' would have been a work for hire for the publishing company.) Gustave Brion (1824-1877) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](http://lmbartelt.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/javert.jpg)
By “[A]fter Brion” (meaning it was copied from a painting by Brion, which was common in the 19th century for illustrations. The ‘copy’ would have been a work for hire for the publishing company.) Gustave Brion (1824-1877) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Because grace doesn’t make sense in a law-abiding world. The law is predictable, controllable almost. Grace, not at all.
Where the law offers punishment and retribution, grace offers absolution, deserved or not.
In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning examines grace in the story found in John 8, where a woman caught in adultery is brought to Jesus by a crowd who wants to know how He would punish her. Instead of answering their question, Jesus turns the tables and asks anyone without sin to cast the first stone. When He alone is left to condemn the woman, he lets her go. Manning writes:
Now, get the picture. Jesus didn’t ask her if she was sorry. He didn’t demand a firm purpose of amendment. He didn’t seem too concerned that she might dash back into the arms of her lover. She just stood there and Jesus gave her absolution before she asked for it. (166-167)
Grace was Javert’s undoing.
And it is mine.
When I am undeserving, grace lets me live.
When others are undeserving, grace gives compassion and second (and third and infinite) chances.
When I want to pull my own weight and do my part, grace sets me free to receive.
Grace says thank you and doesn’t try to repay. Grace passes on grace.
I’ve read the apostle Paul’s writings about law and grace in the book of Romans, but it never resonated. Sometimes I don’t understand. Maybe I still don’t.
But grace is changing me, giving me a new set of glasses by which I see the world.
Grace still doesn’t make sense to me.
But if it did, would I call it “amazing”?
We’re nearly halfway through the year, and I’ve done a lot of reading already. And with summer on the horizon, maybe you’re looking for some good books to pick up for your free-er time in the next few months.
Here are five (in no particular order) I’ve read and would recommend without hesitation.
1. Sleeping in Eden by Nicole Baart. I read this book early in the year and still can’t get it out of my head. Nicole’s literary writing style will grab you and not let go. It’s not a happily-ever-after escapist read, but it is a realistic picture of life and hope.
2. A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund. For the historical romance reader, this book is swoon-worthy. So encouraging and uplifting. Jody is one of my favorite authors and she’s outdone herself on this one!
3. Invisible by Ginny Yttrup. This is the antidote to the false messages about body image in the media. This story of three women discovering who they really are despite what they appear to be is challenging and encouraging. Ginny writes from experience with compassion and grace.
4. Congo Dawn by Jeanette Windle. This one takes you into Africa to expose the effects of greed and corruption on a nation rich in natural resources. Jeanette’s books are well-researched and action-packed. 
5. I couldn’t choose between So Shines the Night by Tracy Higley and Forsaken Dreams by MaryLu Tyndall, so I’ll let you decide! Tracy’s is set in Ephesus during the time of the apostle Paul. The Bible stories we read and pass over come to life with her fictional touch. MaryLu’s book is also based in history, just after the Civil War, when Southerners fled to Brazil. A fascinating story, with two more books in the series to come.
This isn’t an exhaustive list of the great fiction out there, but it’s a place to start!
What are your recommended reads for the summer?