Loving God of this and all days, make the needs and challenges of this dear reader Yours in ways that bless and protect; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:20: "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." This comes in the context of our being at work in Christ Jesus in making disciples and trying to transform the world. I suppose the case could be made that Christ would be with those who ask, even the lazy, unemployed Christians; but what an awesome promise for those who care and love for the lost, the last, and the least. Here Newton's words in his third stanza of that awesome hymn:
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
John Wesley would have said, "This is the journey of Sanctifying Grace." At the precise moment we give ourselves to God and receive the work of Justifying Grace, sanctifying grace takes over. It is the journey of life for the believer. It is, I should add, also a difficult journey with no promises of "Pass Go and Collect $200," for those who remember the game of Monopoly. John Newton knew this, as did Wesley, and so the song says, "Many dangers, toil and snares," but "'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far." It's reassuring to know that in spite of all that life would throw our way, God sees to it we are seen safe through it all. Our definition of safe might not match what God's is, but if defined in and with God, it is the best definition, for in all that we go through, even the facing of death, God is with us and never leaves us. Thus the ending of this stanza, "And Grace will lead me home." All our wanderings and opportunities and services rendered to the Lord may take us to places we never dreamed, but in spite of how strange or far from our starting point of "home," we know where our real home is.
Leonard Sweet recounts the legend of a man who was shipwrecked on an island where late at night when he should have been sleeping he heard a commotion of dolphins coming on shore, and as he watched unseen by these dolphins, they shed their dolphin skin and became humans. As daybreak approached the dolphins slipped back into their skins and out to sea they swam. The man continued his nightly watch of these dolphins and saw a beautiful woman among them and so, one night, he took and hid her dolphin skin. All the others left, and this woman was left alone. The man came to her, married her and once rescued they started a life together. All went well for years until one day as the woman was cooking in the kitchen of her home, a drop of dolphin oil fell from the place in the attic where he had hidden her dolphin skin. This drop with its aroma reminded the woman who she truly was and she quickly found the skin, put it back on and left. Rev. Sweet then asks how often do we see these drops of dolphin oil that remind us of who we truly are and of our true home?
As we live and walk our journey of grace, remember Whose we are and where we're from.
PRAYER: Loving God until that day when we are through with this journey, we have lots to do. As we strive to do Your work we will indeed encounter the "dangers, toils,and snares" of which we sing often. But let the clear, loud, beautiful voice of Jesus sing louder of His promise to me, that He will be with me, even to the end of the age. In His precious and powerful name I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
