Amazing Grace

God's grace has got to be one of the most profound things ever. Even when simply put that grace is something that is undeserved but given anyway, it is hard to grasp. Why should someone get what they don't deserve, especially if they are so undeserving? This is the mystery of grace.

I used to think that I was surely going to hell for having committed so many sins. But I have learned otherwise. Even now people who don't understand what Christ did for the world will ask me if I think certain things are sins, sometimes strange questions. "Alyssa, do you think it's a sin to kill bugs?" I usually don't know how to answer that one. But no, I don't think it's a sin to kill bugs, nor do I think it's beneficial to go around stepping on bugs just for the "fun" of it.

I remember once, when I was still a brand new Christian, a friend of mine who isn't a Chistain challenged my faith by telling me about his ex-girlfriend's level of religiousness. He said something like "She goes to church and believes in God, but she's definitely NOT a good Christian by your standards!" As if I were the one whose standards everyone should live by. I'll admit I was hurt by it, but I didn't know enough about my faith to know how to defend it. I wanted him to understand that I had a real relationship with God now and that I, too, had done a lot of bad things in the past, and that despite those things, I was still saved. But he didn't understand. He wasn't listening. He heard the words I was saying but his preconceived notions of Christianity were set in stone as far as I could tell.

Ever since the fall of man, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, we have been born into sin. Before Christ, man had to work under the law and perform many specific rituals and sacrafices. It was by works that we were saved. But then God sent His son Jesus Christ to save us, because we weren't doing so well at saving ourselves. Actually, we were really bad at it. And we still are. We just can't save ourselves! We are flawed, imperfect. And so Jesus took all of our sins to the cross with him. Then after he rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven, the Holy Spirit came down (I just learned that yesterday, actually). The Holy Spirit is what dwells within us. And it is grace that saves us, grace through Jesus Christ. We were born into sin and choose to do the wrong thing very often in our lives, but every time we DO sin, Christ takes the blame so that we may be right with out Father in Heaven. Doesn't seem fair, does it? No, but that is the way of grace.

There is sort of a catch. Grace IS for everyone. It is a gift from God. As with any gift, you don't have to work for it or buy it. It is free. But also with any gift, you have to reach out and take it. God doesn't care what you've done in the past, good or bad. He doesn't care how many hours of community service you've put in or what commandments you've broken. He just wants a relationship with you. He wants to take care of you. But He can't force you to take His gift. He can't take care of you if you don't let Him. And you can't save yourself. Only Christ Jesus can do that.

One last thing in regards to sins, for those who are still wondering about it. There is no sin that is worse that another. A sin is a sin. There's no point system up in Heaven. Whether you steal a pack of gum from the convenience store or a piece of priceless art from a museum, it's still stealing. And stealing is not a lesser sin than murdering someone. Both are sins. What matters is genuinely feeling sorry for what you've done, and the desire to change. (And by the way, killing someone and murdering someone are not the same thing.)

And so, though we who believe in Christ as our Lord and Savior still mess up and sin like any human being, we are undeservingly forgiven by God through His amazing grace.

I grew this heart into a drifter
Never felt the roots I bare
Sold my sight, oh brother, sister
For a mountain of fool's gold, it's gone
Only God knows, God knows where

Soul was restless for redemption
Feet were lookin' for a place to stand
Well, I ain't got no life
And you know I ain't got no money
Just the faith of an empty hand

Amazing grace, I feel you coming up slowly now
Like the sun is risin', heat on my face
Oh love that keeps on shinin', don't let the shadow come
Ya know I gotta feel your healin' rays

Hitched a ride, I was a beggar
I had murder on my hands
I needed water to rinse these stains
But only blood could remove what's spillin'
And pardon me the blame

Amazing grace, I feel you coming up slowly now
Like the sun is risin', heat on my face
Oh love that keeps on shinin', don't let the shadow come
Ya know I gotta feel your healin' rays

-Jars of Clay