grace .... .. .

the 3rd sunday in this place

a short man named zaccheus
climbed a tree so he could see Jesus
he had heard much

Jesus went to him sitting in that tree
and invited himself to his home
people grumbled and muttered and complained

but
zaccheus laid it out
in the midst of their hatred
he would give away 1/2 his stuff to the poor
and repay anyone he had cheated four times as much
4 times as much ...
half to the poor ...

that was what the hated chief of the tax collection agency said ....... ...
before Jesus said anything about forgiveness

so
which came first
the grace
or the repentance ? ?

grace always came first
always
comes
first
always
regardless of repentance
regardless of acceptance or rejection
grace
comes
first

so went the message today

followed by a wonderful illustration of grace
in the breaking of the bread and the pouring of the wine

apparently luke 15-19 are known as the gospel to the rejected

there is no rejection with God
only grace ...
any rejection occurs at our level
from our hearts ...
his is a heart of love overflowing with grace

at the table
grace
" all are welcome " it was said
" all are welcome "
and my heart warmed

i
am welcome

blessings. .. ..

........ .. . .... .. . .. ...

i walked into that sanctuary with a heavy heart today
grace was on my heart
heavy

her young soul
was gone from this earth
after barely 4 years

noone deserves what she went through
and the God of Grace alone knows

she was taken before she even got to know what life on earth is like
what it means to be a grown human

i had begged for her life
but the forces that ply the atmosphere were in array against the forces of good and of God ...
or
maybe
God decided that he wanted her by him
he wanted to hold her
he wanted to hug her and whisper daddy stuff in her ear
either way
grace is gone home
and she sits under some shadetree in a very green meadow
with flowers
lots and lots of bright coloured flowers
waving their petals in the breezes that blow through that meadow
and ruffle her hair

she smiles now
all smiles
in the warm embrace of Jesus
the smell of him warming her heart

peace girl

blessed peace