Dear Friends in Christ,

  One time I told a friend of mine that I would like to get through my life without regrets, his answer was very profound when he replied, “Oh, Doug, so you want to be the only one who stands before God and not need his grace.”  Well he got me!  I have many regrets as I am sure you do as well and discovering how grace fits into my life has been very revealing.

For instance, I know that when I need grace from another it is very important but when I am forced to give it to someone else I can withhold it until reminded by the Holy Spirit that “there by the grace of God go I” and therefore I must pass it on to others.  Maybe you have the same trouble, seeking grace when you need it but withholding grace when you have been wronged in some way.

There is a concept of “growing in grace” now what does that mean?  John Newton was the captain of a slave ship when he turned to God - his best work is known to us all – “Amazing Grace”. This was the product of both trouble and Joy in his life. He also wrote a little poem that I ran across this week that really impacted me. Let me share it with you…

I am not what I ought to be.
I am not what I want to be.
I am not what I hope to be.
But still, I am not what I used to be.
And by the grace of God, I am what I am.

Growing in grace means not abandoning the discipline of the Christian life, rather, living in the grace of God by allowing the love and mercy of the Lord to help you through the moments of disobedience, to find forgiveness, and to finish the day believing that tomorrow you will fight the fight of faith again, you see, too often, we give up before the fight begins.

This Lenten Season we will strive to unpack the idea of “Living in Grace” and seek to discover the true meaning of this powerful gift from God.  May you draw near to the Lord as never before and find a new understanding of grace in your life.

Peace,

Pastor Doug