Blessings, Pavement and Christan Bag Ladies

I guess I keep bringing up judgment because I’m reading a book about grace. The more I read about God’s grace the more I see the lack of it lived out in His people. That grieves me!

I’m not sure where I land with this book. It’s called “Destined to Reign”. Some of it is a pretty big stretch for me. I can’t say I can buy everything in it but then,0 I think stretching is good. I’m not sure I get the connection between blessings and grace. I know the obvious connection, like I am blessed to be accepted at all by God, and not just accepted but adopted as family. But what does our birthright or inheritance include?

Some would say that there is something wrong with being sick or poor if you are a Christian. I don’t buy that. I have health issues and I am done asking for God to change my circumstance. Not because I believe He can’t but because I believe He can and is willing to… but hasn’t… and for that reason must have purpose in my situation. I believe in Christian bag ladies… why not? Do you have to be middle class or above to be a Christian? Is there something wrong with your faith if you are dirty, poor or diseased? We judge by all the wrong markers.

On the flip side, have we thrown the baby out with the bathwater? I think we have one picture of blessings and God has another. Like the guy who figured out how to carry his gold with him when he died only to be asked at the entrance to heaven, “Why did you go through all that trouble to bring pavement up here?” I believe that God intends to bless us above all that we could ask or think. I just don’t know what that looks like. I think I’ve been afraid to think about God in the context of His desire to bless me. It scares me to be vulnerable enough to receive a blessing sometimes. Good grief that’s a sad commentary (listening) Hmmm I just have a sense of God kindly agreeing.

I like giving stuff, or even better time and a listening ear when my kids need their mama (they still do sometimes ;). It’s a tight rope trying to balance giving good gifts vs. gifts that will in some way damage, disempower or demoralize. I will have to think on this some more.