Waiting for Grace

Good Morning, All,

Not too long ago I went to a breakfast meeting with a group of 40 ministers. As we were all standing around waiting for permission to be seated, someone in the group finally spoke up and said, “Who will say Grace?” In a room filled with way too many ministers, that was also a way too general request. Instead of all of us jumping in at once, out of habit and hunger, we all seemed to bow our heads and proceeded to wait. And there we were, waiting and waiting and uncomfortably waiting some more, for what seemed endless seconds of agonizing silence. Finally one of us, perhaps hungrier than the rest, broke the silence & offered Grace.

It was a strange and awkward moment as we all stood around waiting for someone to say Grace. But when you think about it; the truth is, much of the world stands around waiting; waiting and hoping that someone will offer a word of grace; that someone will show mercy and compassion, forgiveness and pardon, rather than revenge and retribution. Oh, how we and all the world, long to hear and receive grace in our broken world; in our broken lives.

When I think about the brokenness we share with all who inhabit this planet, I realize that our experiences of brokenness vary in culture, subculture, economic class and overall personal circumstance. Lives are broken for millions upon millions who simply are in need of life’s basics, the stuff of life you and I take for granted: nutritious food, clean water and adequate housing and access to medical care.

While others experience brokenness because they have lost their jobs; or they can’t afford the high cost of healthcare; or they’ve lost their homes to foreclosure or are simply trying to keep the banks at bay. Future retirement has been put on hold a while longer; college funds are being used for living expenses; and in general, the lifestyles to which many have become accustomed, must now drastically change. And when we finally come up for air, we realize we never thought our lives would ever play out this way.

While it seems that we have more than enough to say grace over, there’s more…what about broken dreams; deferred dreams; broken relationships; broken bodies…all indicators of how much we stand in need of God’s grace; God’s healing; God’s wholeness. And we wait and we hope for God’s word of grace to come to us in a variety of ways and often at times when we least expect it; which means we must be ever-vigilant with eyes and ears, minds and hearts, wide-open and alert.

Hopefully you know of a time when someone has offered grace to you; when you’ve been touched in some way by grace and compassion. A time when someone had just the right words at just the right moment-- healing words; words of hope and concern; and perhaps just when you were expecting hurtful words or revenge or payback...then you do know of God’s grace.

I am sure that there are countless powerful stories and memories to be shared among us; stories and memories of unexpected kindness, surprising affirming encouragements, compassion, pardon, mercy and gentleness toward your soul; and you were, by God’s grace, made whole, perhaps in the stillness of that moment.

It can be a very difficult and unforgiving world out there, and we seek, hope and wait to hear a gentle and kind word of God’s grace. I invite you to gather in worship and study and prayer as we continue the journey together; reflecting upon the same love and grace of God in Jesus Christ, that we ourselves so freely receive. And then to discover ways to share that same love and grace with others in this battered and bruised world…Blessings, Joanne