The Work of Grace

When I would go to the pediatrician as a child for my yearly "check up", they often brought out that little rubber mallet for checking my reflexes.  Well, I knew what that was for and I did not want them to think anything was wrong with me.  I'm pretty sure I kicked that leg way out at times before contact had even been made.  Probably even more humorous to the doctor, who being a professional never let on to the fact I was being so rediculous, were the times there must have been a terribly awkward delay in my response as I thought about it a little too long.  I'm not sure that thing ever actually hit the spot it was supposed to in order to have a genuine reflexive action.  If it had and if my leg had shot out on its own, I'm sure it would have scared me to death.

Dallas Willard said that "grace is not opposed to effort, its opposed to earning."  I like to change that idea to "grace is not opposed to work, its opposed to striving."  Grace in the Biblical story is not that people are given a free pass, whether it be for their sins and eternal relationship with God or in the smaller duties of life.  Grace still involves the work of obeying every demand of the Law and meeting every perfect character requirement of God's holiness, but these things are accomplished by Someone else and transferred to my "account".  Grace means that Someone is doing the work and crediting it to me as if I had done it.  And this is not just some ethereal notion, but it means something not of me is growing in me and though it may take a while to sprout, bit by bit it is guaranteed to produce exquisite fruit.

The best example of the futility of my trying to be holy on my own or respond in love to everyone around in a perfect way or live a comlete hour of my day in a way that genuinely brings glory to God alone is the knee reflex experience.  If that mallet had hit the nerve, I would not have had to think about it for a second.  My leg would have responded.  My leg would still have moved (or "worked") but it would not be because I had willed it to do so.  It would have had no choice.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10  I included this in the last blog and have been thinking of it ever since, particularly as I have had several days in a row of utter discouragement with my ugly attitude and harsh words to those around me.

In filling out lots of paperwork for the adoption process, my pride and arrogance began to take me over.  Agitation has characterized me and my interactions with my family.  My knowledge of the person and work of Jesus and that my attitude and behavior was not consistent with the grace and peace I have in Him, could not bring about change.  In those moments, when I was so overpowered by stress, irritation, impatience and those followed by utter discouragement at seeing this seemingly unchanged state of my heart, the power of grace broke through.

Knowledge is not power, even knowledge of the best news in all of human history.  I was perplexed by my attitude and actions because "I know better"...than to let circumstances have such control, than to expect my peace from any source other than the Holy Spirit, etc.  Knowing better will never bring about my heart's transformation because knowledge of my problem and knowledge of the cure cannot accomplish it.  But Jesus ascended so that His Spirit may not just lead us from out in front, as He did through the desert, but enter into us and work from the inside.  It is by grace that I am saved, not just for death but from my own self each hour!  The work of grace, then, is to manifest the person, heart, attitutude, thoughts, perspective, understanding, love, etc. of Jesus to, in and through me in a way I am powerless to do.  Grace works because it hits its target every time.

So, because my "reflex" is to have to ask, "Fine, but what do I do?!?"  Believe.  In those moments, which will happen again this very day, when I see more evidence that I need a Redeemer than of luscious fruit, my hope is not my knowledge, my discipline, my resolve.  In those moments, He asks me to believe and to trust that He is faithful and He will do it.  Each hour, "Oh yeah, this is why I am utterly dependent on Your Spirit and desperately incapable on my own."  The work of grace can't be imitated because it is so clearly from an expert outside of myself.  It is trustworthy and it is guaranteed to work so I can stop despairing in the process and quit faking.  Ahhh, that is good news.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13