Everyday Grace

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit.” Philemon 1:25

Today’s edition of Dispatches From a Suburban Parson During a Pandemic is a bit different, in that I’m sharing a request from a confirmand and her mentor. True to form, however, it’s all about grace. Grace is receiving something good that do not deserve. The fullest expression of grace comes, of course, in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through him we have received forgiveness and life, abundant and eternal.

Goodness knows, God knows, we do not deserve such grace; neither do we deserve the mercy that spares us from our sin. You need only flip on the news to be reminded why. And this is not simply true for the people “out there” or those who belong to “that” faction or party. To be sure, there is true evil in the world and moral equivocation gets us nowhere. To be equally sure, none of is not complicit.

But there is hope, because there is grace. Grace that flows from the Word of God.

So it is that I share a request to collect Bible verses as part of a Confirmation project. I hope you’ll participate in this project of Everyday Grace.

Many of us have a treasured passage from the Bible that we look to for encouragement, guidance, comfort, and strength. Have there been old favorites or new passages that have proven vital to your faith life during quarantine? Would you be willing to share the special blessing of a verse that will lift the spirits and support the well-being of another person?
 
Everyday Grace is a project collecting favorite Bible verses. Our hope is that, with a little more home time on everyone’s hands, members of the Grace family will take a moment to share verses that are meaningful to them. The collection will be used to bring hope and encouragement to others.
 
To participate, we would love to hear from you at EverydayGrace2020@gmail.com. Please include your verse and a brief description of how it speaks to you. If you prefer to be anonymous, that’s OK! Just make a note so we know! Most importantly, thank you – your verse could be the exact words that someone needs and will be ever thankful to receive.

Send them a note, and share God’s grace with one another.

Be well, friends. You are loved.

God of grace, we rejoice in the gift of life. As forgiven people, let us work for reconciliation in this world, building up instead of tearing down. Open our ears to hear your Word; let your Word be ever on our lips. Heal this broken world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Image: Grace, summer 2017, me.