Wednesday's Word: Reading and Listening

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I finally finished Three Free Sins this week.  I'm not a scholar so I won't subject this book to a critical review.  The grace of God is something that is unbelievable, outlandish, and beyond our imagination or expectations.  And that's the point of this book.  If you are in Christ, God's NOT MAD AT YOU!  In fact, He's rather fond of you.  He not only loves you- He LIKES you! When you get a small taste of this, you begin to move around in freedom, not fear.  Then and only then will this grace transform us.

This evening I listened to Ephesians on my iPod.  I hesitate to even mention it because I didn't listen because I am good.  I listen to this book (set to music) because I am so desperately needy every day for God's grace.  In Sunday's sermon on the Resurrection, the question was asked "How do I get this resurrection power?"  How can I have life?  One point was to listen for His voice.  God's voice for today is His Word.  So I listen and hear how .." he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ."

Last Judgment (Michelangelo)

And I'm reminded that no matter what today holds, someday all will be made right.  And that gives me strength to make it through today.  You can download the book of Ephesians for free at http://www.biblememorymusic.com/.  Click to enter, enter the album selection page, then select "To The Saints"  Each selection has to be downloaded individually but if I can paste it together successfully, I'm sure you can.

Edward Hicks, The Peaceable Kingdom (1826)