What gift?

Our challenge for this year is "Grace".  Grace is defined by different definitions:  Some people may think grace is what we say before we eat a meal while others may think of Grace as a name.  However, God's grace is a most precious gift.  I heard grace defined once this way and I have always enjoyed this definition:  Grace is an unexpected gift from and unobligated giver.  Grace comes from God in unexpected ways through His holiness to His creation.

I saw an example of that while I was back in North Carolina.  We were visiting my mother for Christmas and my side of the family was all planning to arrive on Christmas Day at my mom's house.  Leah, Thaddeus and I had been in Greensboro since December 14th, but the rest of the family would be traveling.  On Christmas afternoon, snow began to fall.  The weather report had said there may be quite a bit of snow, but I didn't get my hopes up.  However, the snow began to fall and stuck on the ground, but not on the roads.  I was worried because one of my brothers had to drive all the way from Aiken, South Carolina.  As each sibling and their family arrived, the snow seemed to fall harder, but still did not stick to the roads.  Once my last sibling arrived, the snow began to stick on the roads and the accumulation was close to five inches.  That is the first time in over 60 years that Greensboro had more than a trace of snow on Christmas day.  Yet, the roads were fine until all of my family arrived.  We all spent the night together at my mom's house and enjoyed the snow.  We went walking in the snow, playing in the snow, making snowmen and having snowball fights.  Most people would look at this and think this was a nice coincidence.  I look at the timing of the snow and the safety issue and look at it like God's grace.  It was an unexpected gift from an unobligated giver.  I know, others may not have been as fortunate to miss all the snow.  My point is this:  The timing of the snow reminded me that I serve a God whose timing is perfect and who enjoys surprising His children.

The greatest expression of grace is Jesus, Himself.  John 1:17 reminds us that grace came through Jesus and Ephesians 2:8 that we have been saved by grace.  The most unexpected gift to mankind is salvation.  God was not and is not obligated to give us eternal life, yet He did.  

As we go through 2011, may we go with gratitude for the gift God gave us in Jesus.  May we also share his gift of grace with others during this year.  May we show the same patience with annoying people that God has shown with us.  May we give those close to us second and third chances to blow it just like God has done for us.  May 2011 find us enjoying sips of grace from God's well.