March 23, 2007

Reflections of God's Grace

Read: Acts 2:42-47

There’s a businessman
There’s a widowed wife
There’s a smiling face with a shattered life
There’s a teenage girl with a choice to make
It’s crowded here in church today

And the preacher says as the sermon ends
Please close your eyes and bow your heads
Is there anyone in need of prayer
Jesus wants to meet you here
‘cause we all fall short
We all have sinned
But when you let
God’s Grace break in…

It’s beautiful
Beautiful
Come as you are
Surrender your heart
Broken and beautiful

Well he’d never been to church before
But he came today as a last resort
His world was crashing in
And he was suffocating in his sin

But tears ran down
As hope rushed in
He closed his eyes
Raised his hands
Worshiping the God who can
Bring him back to life again

Cause there’s nothing more beautiful to God
Than when his sons and daughters come
Broken
Alleluia, Alleluia
Come as you are
Alleluia, Alleluia
Come as you are

Alleluia, Alleluia
Come as you are
(Come as you are)
Surrender your heart
Broken and beautiful

Alleluia, Alleluia
Come as you are
(Come as you are)
Surrender your heart
Broken and beautiful
- Mark Schultz, "Broken and Beautiful"


Leave it to a 20 something kid to make a devotional out of a contemporary Christian music song. This song is one of my current favourites. Mark Schultz’s “Broken and Beautiful” is a great song about the love of God and how that love permeates the church. I have often felt like there is nothing that can go right; in middle school it was “I’ve never messed up this badly before”. In high school it was “how many people can God take from me so close together” and “If I get to college, not where”. College presented changes in life among other typical college difficulties like “What am I going to do for the rest of my life?”

That’s pretty much where this church tirelessly stepped in, giving advice, guidance and opinions. I know that the love of the church will find me another “home away from home” as I begin my life in Dallas. Much like Schultz’s song, it doesn’t matter what circumstances brought you to church; the warmth of the congregation instantly lifts your burdens and puts a smile on your face. I always looked forward to long weekends and vacations from school to come home and be able to go to church because it has been such a big part of my life. I love being able to come and just be myself with my extended family and talk about problems, and listen to the positive messages we receive from our ministers.

This Lenten season let us remember what makes us a church family. It is the unending love we share for each other and the constant reflection of Gods’ grace. The same love Jesus shared with us when he died on the cross. It doesn’t matter what circumstances brought you in, what matters is that you are there. You have seen yourself in need of some aspect the church can provide. Love, help, hope, togetherness or the opportunity to serve, whatever it was, you were able to feel it here. It is the grace of God which brings us together.

Dear God,
Let us know your grace in every event life brings us. Give us the strength to know you are never out of reach. Give us continued grace to share your love with all who need it. Amen.

Mark Brammer