Day 4 with Teresa Ann:
GRACE UPON GRACE
Upon waking up this morning, I took notice of the time; it was exactly 5:00 am.
As I looked at the clock, what came to mind was the numerical value of 5 in Hebrew; it’s none other than GRACE.
The grace that abounds even from this past week as we visited Matthew 5 was earth shattering in the most life giving way. In my own moments with the Holy Spirit I noticed the common thread of what we are called to; being the light and the salt. In all of it, there’s this simple yet profound revelation of our great need for HIM. He taught with demonstration the power of GOD’s grace even with being led by compassion as discussed in day 1.
GRACE awakens the need for HIM; it stirs the hunger and thirst to desire fellowship with HIM.
As I heard Rick Pino say, “GOD doesn’t just want a relationship with us; HE desires fellowship with us.”
GOD desires the deeper; a divine entanglement of sorts.
This all leads me to the insightfully profound conversations from just this past week. The common thread to so many conversations was based on the goodness of GOD and HIS faithfulness. So many proclaiming with effortless declaration of HIS empowering grace that is sufficient; more than enough; equipping us with the ability to sustain the blows of this life along with the wherewithal to keep standing as more than likely without it, the circumstances could have easily destroyed us.
Have you ever looked back at a situation in your life that was extremely difficult?
When you think back on it, do you have this seeming memory of ease?
For instance, the hard edges of reality when going through it felt like eternity; yet when you look back it seems so much smoother in memory than it was in reality. That in and of itself is the beauty of grace.
Through the difficult challenges and rigorous testing there was a birthing of something new and just like when giving birth; although the pain was excruciating; the memory of the pain was replaced with the joy in the midst of the grueling labor of that season of life.
Let’s think about what GRACE does. It simply points us back to the Father. GRACE brags on HIM as it reveals HIM as Sustainer; Sufficient One; our Covering and the One Who carries us; He is our Armor and Protection; GRACE reveals that HE is the Living Breath that causes us to endure; the Wind that allows us to soar above devastation. Those moments we missed it, the mistakes made; the seeming wasted moments; HIS grace fills in the gap; HE is the BRIDGE to help us to cross over to the other side where there was once a great divide. God’s grace reveals that He wastes nothing and makes a way when there was no way in sight.
REFLECTION WITH HOLY SPIRIT:
II Corinthians 12:1-10; Matthew 5
LET’S TALK:
When you look back upon your life, even in just the last season, how has GRACE bragged on GOD in the midst?
Someone asked me 3 years ago, “What if took 3 years for breakthrough?”
I remembered saying, I would never wait or fight that long.
The breakthrough I was believing for was a relationship.
Well, here we are 3 years later! And yes! I am still believing for full restoration..Breakthrough is currently happening!
Three years ago, when looking ahead, all I saw was Fear and everything attached to it of what I felt then (Emotions and feelings).
Being in the moment now,I don’t see 3 long years. Instead I see Jesus and his Grace that covered me in my walk. Was it effortless and seamless? Absolutely Not!!!!But somehow when I look back, it does seem that way.
That’s God’s Grace that covered me and the growth that took place along the way. I was strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit!!!!
Day 4: Nothing has shown me the grace of God more than Motherhood. I had to be the most vulnerable that I’d ever have to be in my life. I witnessed God’s miracle first hand and praised Him that He chose me to be this worthiness for this task. To love and care for so deeply that made me fall even more in love with Him. God is so good. And it was not an easy task for me, in fact it was so hard that I would definitely do it all over again. In God’s time because His is so perfect.
This past year I have often found myself taking that next step of obedience not even knowing if there would be any ground under me to stand on. Yet, the more often I take these types of steps the greater my faith grows. I often find myself saying, “I have no idea what I’m doing,” yet I know God shows up time again. I’ve learned just how sweet God’s grace is when I didn’t respond with quick obedience, when my lense was skewed and I didn’t see my situation through his lense, and when I felt discouraged because I felt I should have known better. He’s always there even if I’m walking with Him at a toddler’s pace.