"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor rulers,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor
depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:37-39
Bunny loved me even when I behaved badly.
Dogs are like that. Even when I was grumpy, Bun would hang about to cheer me up. If I growled too loudly for too
long she might amble off a few paces, lie down, then heave a sigh while she watched me with those big brown eyes. However,
she would never leave me alone. After a few minutes she would try again (and again . . . and again) to engage
me (whether or not I wanted to be engaged). Dogs are like that. GOD is like that too! His grace is an ACTIVE grace!
He will NOT leave us alone. He is the Father who runs to meet us when we have strayed. He is the Shepherd who searches
for us. He never gives up on us even when we give up on ourselves.
His grace seeks us out. His love reaches
out to us, surrounds us, and dwells within us. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. His active grace
is at work in our lives even when we push Him away. His active grace seeks to engage us even when we do not want to
be engaged. The GOOD NEWS in Christ is that this grace is God's FREE GIFT! Yes, even when we behave badly.
Bunny showed me a little of what this love looks like on earth. Can we even begin to imagine the heights and depths
of this love eternal? Can we even begin to understand the nature of this amazing grace? Probably not, but we can
try!
Always in all ways GOD IS GOOD! Blessings &
LOVE, Link
P.S. This little piece is written the day
before my ordination. This morning as I think about God's free gift of grace and love as manifested in His call upon
my life. NOTHING I have ever done has brought me here, but God's free gift of grace and love have brought me.
NOTHING that I have ever done has brought me here, but God's active, persistent love reminds me that NOTHING will ever separate
me from Him. I give all praise, honor, thanks, and glory to GOD whose amazing grace and love has called me into His
service and sustains me in same.
Blessings & LOVE, leh
