Comments on: Jesus On A Plate

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:52:15 +0000

I loved the lesson and your illustration, the simple reminder renewed my soul. It truely is the simple things that confound the wise. It is a concept that cannot be taken apart and examined, and if you try then it is no longer simple or sweet.

By: anita

anita — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:56:53 +0000

Laura (and RuthAnn) –> I couldn’t agree more. Maybe I just need to explain what I mean better behind the illustration I used. I believe that every human walking on this earth are already recipients of God’s full and glorious grace. It’s a done deal and nothing I do or don’t do will ever change that. When I was speaking of “taking the gift” all I was meaning to do was encourage people to open themselves to the reality of its presence because while our action or inaction doesn’t change the fact that grace is mine, if I spend my life unaware that it’s mine, feel that I don’t deserve it being mine, or refuse to accept that the gift is mine, then it’s like being given an incredible gift that though in my possession, I never unwrap to explore the wonders that are inside. Again, nothing is required for us to receive grace but it would seem to me (based in my own experience) that receiving it / taking it / opening ourselves to it, allows us to live in the fullness of grace in a way not possible when we lacked the awareness, acceptance, or acknowledgment of what we had already been given.

By: Laura H.

Laura H. — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:38:09 +0000

I think RuthAnn makes an interesting comment/question. If we don’t have to do anything to “earn” God’s grace, then logically we shouldn’t have to reach out and take it to have it, for that is indeed “doing something.” Perhaps we all just have it already and we can either acknowledge it or not, but it’s always there nonetheless…

By: Lene

Lene — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:08:16 +0000

I always wonder how people can be so certain this gift (grace) exists in the first place and how they know they received it.

By: anita

anita — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:05:17 +0000

RuthAnn–> Good question and here’s my guess why so many people resist or refuse to receive the truth of God’s love for them and their worth in His eyes….again, just my guess. I think innately everyone wants to receive grace at some level but I also think there are other notions warring within us. In our human experience of love with other humans many have never known love given freely, have never experienced being treasured in someone elses’ eyes, and so they can’t imagine it could come so easily from God. Also, as humans we’re conditioned to earn what we get. Children earn rewards. Achievements equal acceptance. The better you are, the more you do, the greater will be the response from the world. And likewise, if you do nothing, or worse, if you fumble along and make mistakes and accumulate a few failed attempts then you naturally get what’s coming to you…nothing. Reward and punishment is planted in our psyche which makes the concept of retribution theology such a smashing success for so many Christians. Earn God’s favor. Deserve God’s wrath. We can’t dare to believe that it’s not that way, that God’s grace sends the same message to everyone despite what they’ve done, despite how the world values or demeans them, despite whether they are loved and adored by thousands or by no one. “You are mine, I adore you, I am forever beside you, now live in my love.”

But RuthAnn, you asked the question so what do you think the answer might be?

By: RuthAnn

RuthAnn — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 12:47:47 +0000

Oh, wow!

But there’s the catch… if being able to reach out and take it is a gift too – then what? I am thinking of so many who have almost reached out or don’t yet want to reach out; what about them?

So what’s the rest of the story? Huh?

By: hisown_01 aka katie42

hisown_01 aka katie42 — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 11:23:55 +0000

What a lovely way to start the day. Thank you Anita!