The start of last week, I had God’s grace coming to me in so many directions. I really wanted to get ‘it’ this time. Each day of my study gave me little more of a glimpse. The funny thing is none of the info was new, just presented differently – all in God’s timing for me to understand I guess.
The last day of my study had a really good illustration that I’m posting here mostly so I can come back & read it at a moments notice without digging thru my notes. This is from Max Lucado, it is a little long but worth reading.
Here is the scene: You and I and a half-dozen other folks are flying across the country in a chartered plane.All of a sudden the engine bursts into flames, and the pilot rushes out of the cockpit.
“We’re going to crash!” he yells. “We’ve got to bail out!”
Good thing he knows where the parachutes are because we don’t. He passes them out, gives us a few pointers, and we stand in line as he throws open the door. The first passenger steps up to the door and shouts over the wind, “Could I make a request?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Any way I could get a pink parachute?”
The pilot shakes his head in disbelief. “Isn’t it enough that I gave you a parachute at all?” And so the first passenger jumps.
The second steps to the door. “I’m wondering if there is any way you could ensure that I won’t get nauseated during the fall?”
“No, but I can ensure that you will have a parachute for the fall?”
Each of us comes with a request and receives a parachute.
“Please, Captain,” says one, “I am afraid of heights. Would you remove my fear?”
“No”, he replies, “but I’ll give you a parachute.”
Another pleads for a different strategy, “Couldn’t you change the plans? Let’s crash with the plane. We might survive.”
The pilot smiles and says, “You don’t know what you’re asking” and gently shoves the fellow out the door.One passenger wants some goggles, another wants boots, another wants to wait until the plane is closer to the ground.
“You people don’t understand,” the pilot shouts as he “helps” us, one by one. “I’ve given you a parachute; that is enough.”
Only one item is necessary for the jump, and he provides it. He places the strategic tool in our hands. The gift is adequate. But are we content? No. We are restless, anxious, even demanding. …
We, too, ask God to remove the fear or change the plans. He usually answers with a gently shove that leaves us airborne and suspended by his grace.
Truth be known, some of us discover we have a fear of heights when we are dangling above precarious circumstances – suspended by his grace alone. We’d rather have our feet firmly planted on the ground. We want certainty and facts. We feel a need to know all is going to work out the way we planned. In fact, if we can’t be sure of the outcome of our problems, we’d rather not have them at all. Like Paul, we ask God to please make them disappear.
I’m sorry to say I can think of too many examples from my life that could be represented by the excuses listed – especially the “can we change the plan or just wait until we’re closer?” and the fact I want my feet firmly planted, I want the certainty, the facts, I want to know the outcome of my problems. I’m so glad that even though sin separates me from God, and I am not strong enough to remove it nor am I good enough to erase it (Eph 2:8,9) – God is strong enough & good enough. He has already taken care of everything. He sent His Son to die on the cross & rise again for my sins.
While I know that I still don’t get it & most likely won’t ever really get it, that isn’t the point. It isn’t about me getting it or not, it’s what I do with the gift He’s given to me. He’s already provided what I need, His Grace is sufficient whether I remember to hang onto that fact or not. I’m choosing to hang onto & accept His gift of grace.