Grace Reflected

 

And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. John 1:16

My friend on the phone: “Hi, are we on for lunch today?”

Me: “Ohhh! I forgot! I am so sorry I meant to call you yesterday to tell you I wouldn’t be home!”

 

She was so kind and forgiving. Her response to my rudeness was, “No problem, I just wanted to get you away from it all for a couple of hours.” Such grace, what a dear friend.

This phone call took place at the beginning of a busy day that was in the middle of a busy week. My friend’s grace was a gift, reminding me of God’s grace offered to me in the forgiveness of my sin and that He continues to extend to me every day – including times like this when I see His grace in someone else. Both of them offered grace when I was not being so gracious.

This morning I was reminded during some reading  that the opposite of God’s grace is God’s wrath. How glad I am that I did not receive the His wrath and how grateful I am that my friend was gracious not wrathful!

Romans 8:29 says that we are to be conformed to the image of Christ. Forgetting a commitment was not very Christ-like. He was perfect in His ability to always consider others more important than Himself. He was willing to set aside His own plans to stop and minister to the crowds  around Him. He had compassion on those who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a Shepherd (Matthew 9:36). (That was kind of how I felt when I realized I had forgotten to let my friend know I needed to cancel!)

Being on the receiving end of God’s grace is the greatest experience of forgiveness a person can know. The added bonus of a sister in Christ (and friend) being willing to extend grace, acting in His image, is a joy and a relief. God is glorified in both and I am grateful for both!

I’ll see her soon for lunch.