Mostly About Grace

When someone has walked along the road of discipleship as long as I have over this lifetime, it is sometimes hard to remember what life was really like before the beginning of the journey.  What started for me as a teenager has continued all these years.  Sometimes the fire in me for Him burned lower than it should, but never has it gone out completely.  He has always been a part of my life.  Perhaps, I would like to say He has been my life, but honesty does not allow for me to forget times when my own unfaithfulness prevailed over my faithfulness. 

 

The thing about Jesus is that He does not give up on us during those times of unfaithfulness.  The image of the Father in the parable of the Prodigal Son tells us that He does not give up on us.  The picture we see of the Father in that parable is one who is always looking down the road to see if the wayward son has come to his senses and is returning home.  Anyone who has been away when they should have stayed has to love that part of the story.  I have thought that if I were Jesus I would have given up on me somewhere along the way, but such is not the nature of Jesus. 

One thing I remember about the beginning is my certainty about never forsaking Him.  When I started with Jesus there was too much of Peter in me.  I knew I would always be faithful.  It did not take long to realize how much I really was like Simon Peter.  In the beginning I figured it was mostly about my determination.  It was mostly about me.  As I moved along I have finally learned it is not really much about me and mostly about grace.