Five Minute Friday ~ Grace

Wikipedia: Nail House

Ever read something that you just can't get out of your mind? I was reading an essay last week and stumbled across this:

"The Cross is mostly God's defiance of himself. God erects a nail house against his own wrath. What the Cross defies, what the Cross defeats, what the Cross pushes back, is as much the wrath of heaven as it is the power of hell. God disarms himself at Calvary. To put it another way: At the Cross, God made a way for his mercy and love to triumph over his justice and judgment. 

The old theologians put it this way: We take refuge from God in God. The only escape from God's wrath is God's mercy. If you cling to his nail house, all God's wrath falls on the one nailed there. 

And what rains down on your head? Grace upon grace upon grace."[1]

I also consider the different connotations of the word "grace:"

• unmerited favor that costs me nothing, usually bestowed by God;
• as a verb, honoring or crediting another by bestowing presence; 
• movement that is simple yet refined, sophisticated in its supple and agile beauty; and
• from the Greek... a favorable inclination or a leaning towards with the intent of sharing benefit.

Then there is the fact that at the same time, I've been meditating on Jesus' instruction to judge correctly, instead of basing our judgments on mere appearances (John 7). 

Why do I crave grace for myself yet find it so reluctant to offer or share it to/with others?

No real conclusions... This is really nothing more than a collection of thoughts that I'm striving to somehow synthesize in my head and heart. But isn't that just the thing with grace? God sent His Son, an impossibly supple movement somehow synthesizing God's head (holiness,justice and wrath) and His heart (forgiveness, love and mercy) which grants me access to His presence.

Then? 

I'm the one so undeserving who wins big because He is and He did (grace).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1]Mark Buchanan, "Can We Trust the God of Genocide?" Christianity Today, 7/19/2013. 

Head on over to Lisa Jo's if you wanna join in the and try your had at a five minute write, too!

It was one of those moments...

It was one of those moments  -- absolutely impossible to replicate… ever.

And yet it was so beautifully simple.

Leaving the recreation center (where we sometimes retreat for pool time or a couple of hours hanging out watching satellite TV in an air conditioned room), we noticed a huge gathering of black kites hunting something, gliding and drifting, plunging then lifting – over the softball field. Instantly mesmerized, the entire family stopped and watched, our eyes glued to the sky and the movement of those graceful birds, hoping to determine what was the cause of this large gathering of birds of prey.

Then I allowed my eyes to drift back toward the green grass of the infield. 

My littlest one had wandered out, wearing nothing but her swimsuit in several hues of neon, and there she stood. Or, more accurately, there she slowly turned, round and round, head tilted back, eyes skyward, totally absorbed and totally fearless, immersed in the drama taking place just above her. At least fifteen birds, many with wingspans nearly twice her height swooped and dove all around her. Two, in fact, literally collided only feet above her head. The birds pursued recently hatched termites, oblivious to their audience...

To read the rest?

Please join me over at my new friend, Rachel Pieh Jones' place. 

She is an amazing woman; it has been such a joy to get to know her a bit this past year.

She writes at Djibouti Jones (as well as several other places) 

and I'm humbled and honored (and totally overwhelmed) 

that she has invited me to post as part of a series:

"Painting Pictures: Embracing the Uniqueness of Third Culture Kids."