God's Grace...

I have been trying to decide whether or not to post about "The Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning as I have been reading it. Part of me did not want to for fear that I might "ruin" the book for someone out there, but I think in some ways I would prefer to disclose things as I read because the lessons I am learning are so valuable and need to be heard.

The first chapter of Ragamuffin begins simply by discussing how we are given the gift of salvation by faith alone through God's grace. Brennan notes that there is nothing that WE can do to gain salvation, it is simply God's gift to us. He says, "This and so much more is sheer gift; it is not reward for our faithfulness, our generous disposition, or our heroic life of prayer...My deepest awareness of myself is that I am deeply loved by Jesus Christ and I have done nothing to earn it or deserve it."

That and everything else in that chapter spoke volumes to me. I am not saved because of how hard I try to be "good" or how many prayers I say or how many good things I try to do. I am saved and entitled to a life-long relationship with my Creator simply because He loves me. And the best part is...He loves me AS I AM. With all my blemishes, all my faults, and all my sins. I experience His grace simply because I have faith in Him and He has offered it to me.

I really made the connection even more when I finished reading Genesis last night (as part of my Read the Bible Through in a Year plan). All through my readings in Genesis, I would have questions to ask Darryl about Abraham, and Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and all the others. I would read the stories of things they did and the things they said and be in constant amazement that God continued to bless them. They did things that involved deceit, lying, prostitution and even murder. I asked Darryl how this could be, and he simply replied, "They, too, were sinners." It wasn't until I read Ragamuffin that I made the connection.

God extends himself to us. Period. Despite our history, our mistakes and our sins. He takes us as we are and blesses us. If that isn't reassuring, then I don't know what is.