Grace is a necessary component for the soul to heal. It mends the soul, allows love and care to embellish the soul, and moves us to a place of receptivity to learn and grow alongside others. And yet, fully embracing grace can also potentially lead us to complacency, living outside of wisdom, and abusing the infinite grace given to us. So the question becomes, "How can the soul become disciplined enough to accept grace when we fall short of ourselves and God, without using grace as a crutch to become comfortable in our shortcomings?"
Episode Notes:
Romans 6:1-2 (NIV) - What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Grace = Blessing
Mercy = Withholding Punishment
Romans 3:23-24 (NIV) - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
A true acceptance of grace seems to involve a movement of humble action.
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (NIV) - For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
The Parable of the Lost Son - Luke 15:11-32 (NIV)
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
Healing involves recognition, invitation, and action; all within the confines and freedom of grace.
Music - On and On by LiQWYD
