The first is from Oh Happiness, a very fun and uplifting song. The song starts like this

Oh, happiness
There is grace enough for us and the whole human race

That’s pretty cool isn’t it!

The second comes from How He Loves. It’s just one part towards the end of a song full of pretty pithy and catchy phrases.

If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.

Wow, that’s a great description of the grace that we have been given because of the death and resurrection of the Christ.

¹⁴Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

¹⁵But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. Romans 5:14-16 (New International Version)

If you have been given that much grace and mercy, how about sharing it with those around you? It’s a pretty cool thing!

Shine your light and let the whole world see.

Anyway, I am not a big fan of some of these more traditional “Christian” observances, as to me it can complicate the true simplicity of the message.  However, this day has to do with repentance, and repentance leads to transformation and change – which I am a BIG fan of.

So, today as you “buffet your spiritual body”, maybe its time to repent, or to be broken by some of your deeds or thoughts, and then use today as a marker day to move forward, a new.  All of this things can be forgiven and you can be made new – the power of the sacrifice of Christ.

I love the song Forgiven by Sanctus Real,  in it says

I don’t have to carry the weight of who I’ve been, ’cause I’m forgiven.

Maybe today is that day for you.  The day to let go of the weight that holds you back, that holds you down, repent and move forward.  Its amazing how much better it is.

Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return.

—Genesis 3:19

Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.

—Mark 1:15

Repent, and hear the good news.

—Mark 1:15

He is a broken man, and I write about him today for two reasons:

If you can and you care to, please lift Tennessee Jed’s name up in prayer.

Second, maybe you struggle with the same thing.  TJ (Tennessee Jed), thinks he has to do something to earn God’s love, and the love of others.  His was brought up with a errant view of grace and mercy.  Sometimes we find ourselves in that same place – wanting to work and prove that we are worthy.  Its just doesn’t work that way.  Mercy and grace are  free gifts, and those gifts move us to work and impact others.

If you find yourself there, check out this from Ephesians 2.  Yes, sorry this is long, but as I started reading it this morning, it was so motivating, that I just could not cut it down.  I have highlighted key parts for you speed readers.

Ephesians 2

¹As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. ⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, ⁷in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

¹¹Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— ¹²remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

“He himself is our peace”  He is the way me escape the beat-down that we give ourselves.  If you find yourself in Tennessee Jed’s position, remember, you are right, you would never be good enough, except that grace and mercy are free gifts for everyone.  Take it. And find peace,  and become good enough for God.

What do you think?  I would love your comments.

DISCLAIMER: The is  a true story.  The names are changed to protect the innocent. And this is not a "I have a friend, but I mean me" story.

And now on with the show.  After a really great weekend, I have lots of thoughts to share.  Hopefully this is an interesting week.

John 1:14

¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)

Do you know how big of a deal this is?  The Word, Jesus, the creator of the universe, God’s son, left heaven, and was born, as a baby, as a man, like us!  WOW!. Emmanuel, God with us! GOD with US!!  Take a look at the message

¹⁴The Word became flesh and blood,

and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory,
like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish. (MSG)

He moved into the neighborhood!  Emmanuel, God is with US!  That’s a big deal.  And its because of that that I can’t stop singing!

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,

It is the night of Our dear Saviour’s birth.

Long lay the world In sin and error pining,

‘Til He appear’d And the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn. ( O Holy Night )

And what is really really cool, is this is just the beginning of our delivery.  He came full of grace and truth, and later on , the veil is torn, his blood is shed and we are FREE!.  But lets not get ahead of ourselves, here we are Christmas time.  Let us remember this incredible event – Emmanuel – God is with us!

So as you continue to shop, and decorate and make merry with friends.  Remember, the wonderful plan that was set up years before this birth to make this historical birth take place.

He will be Great!  and I stand in awe – I hope you find some time to as well.

Luke 1:26-33

^26-28In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
Good morning!
You’re beautiful with God’s beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.

^29-33She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

He will be great,
be called ‘Son of the Highest.’
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob’s house forever—
no end, ever, to his kingdom.”

The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace (Chris Tomlin Amazing Grace)

Our chains are gone!  That’s something to be thankful for.  Live free, and enjoy the day, enjoying the harvest you have been blessed with!

^22-25 “Do you have any idea how powerful God is?
Have you ever heard of a teacher like him?
Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do,
or correct him, saying, ‘You did that all wrong!’?
Remember, then, to praise his workmanship,
which is so often celebrated in song.
Everybody sees it;
nobody is too far away to see it.  ²⁶ “Take a long, hard look. See how great he is—infinite,
greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out! (Job 36:22-26, The Message)

Happy Thanksgiving!