Grace in a Different Light

          Grace is not simply a religious term, a feeling, or a word. Grace is God's unmerited favor. This means that such favor cannot be earned; we as human beings do not deserve this grace. Yet this unmerited favor exists in every waking moment of my existence, of your existence, of the world's existence. You must look for it.
           Grace can be found in a little child contentedly whispering stories to her plastic horse, Black Beauty. Grace can be seen in alluring sunsets over the Great Salt Lake which cause you to pull off to the side of the road in fear of driving off the road because your graze is fixed on the gorgeous sky. Grace can be noticed in wispy clouds floating in front of a full moon. Grace is everywhere, however, we as human beings are too used to it or take it for granted.
         God did not solely display his grace as he gave up his sinless life as a payment for mine. This grace was not shown only as Jesus experienced every bit of pain, grief, evil, sorrow, loneliness, anger, insecurity, jealousy, pride that I have experienced and ever will experience. Grace didn't start and stop there. It continues to flow from the Father.
         This kind of love blows my mind. What kind of God showers his children with boundless blessings despite the fact that they choose to glorify themselves day after day? What kind of God enjoys giving good gifts to his beloved creation? What kind of God never stops choosing to love his people even after they stop loving him? It makes no sense, especially in this world of fake love and cheap grace. But it's true, and I am understanding it more and more.
          I challenge you to look for and find grace. When you make the choice to do so, you will be blown away by the love of the Savior. It will begin changing the way you see and interact with God. It's so freeing.
          Look for Grace.

Romans 8:32 "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 

Ephesians 2:1-9 "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

Fighting for Life

It seems to me that since God creates life(Genesis 2:7), loves life enough to sacrifice his son in order to offer eternal life(John 3:16), and sustains life(Hebrews 1:3) that God is pro life. It also seems to be pretty clear that a follower of Christ, who is indeed God, that follower should be pro life. It doesn't seem like there is a way around this. God is for life. So must I be for life.

Abortion is wrong, an evil, murder...This I know very well. I read articles on abortion and share those articles. I give my money to pro life causes. I claim to be pro life. 

Today I read that in 2011 a baby was aborted every ninety five seconds. Today I also listened as Obama, who will continue to let these abortions continue, was inaugurated into office. Today I realized that I need to do something.

Sometimes, like today, I will realize the state of the world-the evil, the suffering, the brokenness, the poverty, the injustice, the hunger, the death, the sadness, the pain- and become overwhelmed and discouraged. I will throw up my hands and say, "What am I supposed to do? I'm only one person. How can I fix this mess?" Today is different. I didn't give in to the discouragement. I decided to do something, instead of focusing on what I can't do.

My purpose as a follower of Christ is to be used by God to make things right, to restore things back to how God initially created them. Even in ways that seem insanely small, I want to be used to put the things in this world back into their places.

Today I decided to become a greater part of the fight for life that is taking place or needs to take place in this world. I asked God to soften my heart to the cries of the unborn. I begged him to haunt me with their screams. I don't want to simply read the articles and move on with my life, like I have been. I want to FIGHT for their lives. God has been opening doors for me: from the nagging feeling that I should be doing something more to the extra time that I now have been given to the need of help at my local pregnancy center. 

I am doing something. I am going to start volunteering at the pregnancy resource center. It's small, it may seem weak in comparison to what other people are doing. But God's strength is made perfect in weakness. I urge you to do something, if you have been convicted like I have. It may be different than volunteering, it may be lobbying or writing articles or teaching others about what abortion really is. Depending on who you are, what kind of time you have available, where you live, what your gifts are, the options for fighting this fight are probably endless. And if you don't know where to start, find your local pregnancy center. I bet they need volunteers like mine does. Do something.

God is fighting for life, and I am joining him. Will you?