June #jammed: Under the Blanket of Grace.

Day 175: Don’t turn away.

“Men, if you had listened to my warning, we would still be safe in Crete and would have avoided this damage and loss.” Acts 27:21

All the way to school, I lectured her. And when it was time for her to get out of the car, she got out and walked away. No hugs. No blown kisses and excessive lingering and stalling while I nervously looked behind me to make sure we weren’t holding up the line. Not that day. That day she was a mission to escape.

In today’s verse, Paul reminded the men on a shipwrecked boat that if they would have listened to him all of the “damage and loss” would have been avoided.

Despite the damage and loss, they all lived on.

Despite my daughter’s dismissal, the day rolled on.

When we let our soapbox stand taller than our faith, damage and loss occurs. It’s never worth the lost time invested in trying to prove our authority.

Can you imagine Paul, as they all float on pieces of the boat to shore? Like a mother who has given her child ample warning and they choose not to head it anyway …

And the men …trying not to let their pride be swallowed up by the sea …literally.

Jesus is not an “I told you so” Savior. He’s an “I knew you would” Redeemer. Grace doesn’t dig it’s feet in and wonder why. Grace knew why before we wondered, what if?

Though we wander and toil through life, He doesn’t begrudge us. He doesn’t turn His back or give up on us. The consequence of sin will still sting, but His love will endure forever.

What if we, as parents, cut the lecture time in half. What if we, instead, pray more and talk less? Praying into disciplinary measures helps us acknowledge the true Author of life …ours and our children’s. It removes sole authority from our imperfect solutions and allows us to spotlight unconditional love …perhaps patience beyond even our own understanding …when we seek to love as He loves.

Father, Praise You for enduring and endearing Love. Thank You for Grace. Forgive us for running around over and over, and bless us to right our ships again and again as we chart a course to follow Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace! 

#greatgrace17

Happy Tongue-biting,

Megs

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