November 9
November 9
God makes his invisible grace visible by sending people of grace to give grace to people who need grace.
Political power, career success, public fame, and wealth do not compare to participation in this one mission: being a tool of rescuing, forgiving, empowering, and transforming grace in the life of another person. There is no higher calling in all the world. It is a miracle of God’s love that he has adopted me into his family forever. I never could have earned, deserved, or achieved a relationship with the King of kings. But it is equally amazing and mind-blowing that God chose to include me in the most important mission on earth: his work of redemption. Even though you and I have not outgrown our own need for God’s grace, he calls us to be his tools of grace in the lives of others. He has given us the honor of visibly representing his grace to others who need that grace. In this way we represent the look of God’s face, the tone of his voice, and the touch of his hand. We could receive no higher honor.
This high calling is also a hard calling. People who need God’s rescuing grace are often messy, angry, proud, demanding, accusatory, self-righteous, and blind. You cannot be an instrument of God’s grace unless you are willing to step into the mess and get your hands dirty. You cannot demand a comfortable life and also be a tool of grace in God’s hands. We see this intersection of high calling and hardship in the life of Ananias in Acts 9:10–19. Ananias is a disciple living in Damascus whom God calls to be his messenger of grace in the life of Saul. Ananias is afraid because he knows well the legacy of Saul’s evil attacks against the believers in Jerusalem. He has reason to be afraid. And yet, what an honor to be called to be the visible representative of God’s grace in the life of the man who, in the history of the church, would be second only to Jesus in fame and influence. God graciously gives Ananias a glimpse of what he will do in and through Saul, and then Ananias departs to meet with Saul.
Are you willing to step into hardship, to be uncomfortable, and to suffer for the sake of being God’s tool of grace? The honor of being his representative doesn’t come with the promise that it will be easy.
Acts 9:17 tells us that “Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on [Saul] he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’” It is beautiful that fearful Ananias addresses Saul as his brother, extending to him God’s forgiving, reconciling, and adopting grace. Ananias announces Saul’s acceptance into God’s family, which is signified by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. There is no greater honor than being an instrument of God’s redeeming grace. Are you ready and willing?