A Snowball of ....

Grace

I was recently describing Grace to a friend and used the illustration of a snowball.  Though from a distance it seems small and insignificant as it rolls in your direction.  Not sure it is even worth your attention with so many larger and more pressing issues in life to focus on.

^{Rom 5:20} The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more.

But continue to look at that ball of Grace and it starts picking up more speed and size.  You begin to see the snow that it has rolled over adding to it mass with each rotation.  You see things that God has placed in your life that you once thought you were responsible for that now have a different look about them.  You begin to recognize that you didn't really deserve all of those blessings in your life, yet there they are rolling towards you.  You know about what Jesus did on the cross and you begin to meditate on the truths of scripture that cause this snowball of Grace to come closer and faster rolling down from His throne of Grace.

Rom 6:1-4 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply?² Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life. 

Many people today are afraid that if more Christians hear the message of Grace that they will run and act wild only to expect Grace to take away any guilt.  We are afraid that Grace will disconnect the consequences of sin from the sinner.  First of all this is Mercy-not receiving the consequences that we do deserve.  Second, when we think our sin is small and the consequences are also we only need a little mercy to be on our way again.  He who is forgiven little, loves little.  But Grace is receiving a gift that we didn't deserve.  This is why grace is multiplied, layer upon layer, super abounding!  It is not that we are forgiven to go walk again in our old way of life, but that Christ lives in us and through us.  We get to walk in a "New Way of Life"!  By the time this little snowball gets to us there is no way that I think I can take advantage of it, push it where I want it, or presume to pull it out whenever I want.

Brace for impact!  Incoming!  Those are the terms we should use for God's Grace.  God is infinite in His Graciousness.  When our eyes open to see ALL that I have, has been given to me from my gracious Father in Heaven it starts to press in on us.  You think I've gone too far?  What part did you play in whether or not you were even born, how 'bout how your brain is wired.  Are you a logical left brained thinker, I guess you can take credit for that....NO.  How about when someone is a gifted athlete.  Look at the words we use.  "Gifted" because we know Shaq had nothing to do with his height  or Johnny Football's incredibly "gifted" hand eye coordination.  We marvel at them instead of the God who formed them!

The things of this life become little compared to what Christ has done for us.  Things that will leave you humbled for eternity!  No, Grace is no small thing to take advantage of.  It rolls over all in its path and leaves them mashed into it going forward into life as an instrument of His Grace in the lives of others.  We feel compelled to lay down our lives for Christ, because He has done so much for us that we could never have earned or deserved.

How much of an impact has God's Grace left on your life?