Heaven meets earth with a sloppy wet kiss....

This morning I was greeted on Facebook by a wonderful note written by a friend of mine that I went to college with. I've had a very difficult week and this encouraged me so much. I want to share it with all of you guys. Blessings....

If Grace is an Ocean We're All Sinking...... by Cara Rogers

Yesterday at 9:37pm

I heard these lyrics (the title of my post) from a song called How He Loves (google it if you'd like- Kim Walker) and thought about what a beautiful image this presented. However, while singing this song in my head this morning, I "saw" a mental picture of a huge ocean and many people in that ocean treading water, desperately trying to stay afloat. I immediately knew what that picture meant in relation to those lyrics. We (many in the body of Christ) say we live in grace, but although we are in the ocean, we have not really surrendered to that ocean of God’s grace. I thought about it some more and realized that giving up, “sinking” if you will, runs contrary to every survival instinct in human nature. So, I claim grace as my sustenance, but still struggle to do it (life) at least a little in my own strength. To sink in grace would be to lose control, right??…and I need at least a little.

I think, at least in my own life, this struggle, this treading water if you will, has led to a cycle of: 1) Existing and not really living; 2) Using a lot of strength to do things right, and really feeling ashamed when (noticed I said when, not if) I drop the proverbial ball and 3) so much tiredness due to exerting so much needless energy…which leads back into #1.

It reminds me of what Paul wrote in Galatians 3:
After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 Have you experienced[a] so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
5 I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

I look around and see so many existing and not really living (including myself). I want so desperately for the body to discover a life full of energy and the grace and compassion of the Lord. I don’t want us be spiritually tired all of the time because we rely on ourselves. These truths seem so simple (ha!) yet so difficult to apply in every day life (at least to me).

I feel that many of you in “facebook land” might be able to relate to this, or may be further along on the journey than I and if so, please share any thoughts you might have. My hope is to encourage each other and remind ourselves to live in grace. Thank you for reading this. I appreciate it.

~~~I hope this helped you guys as much as it did me... oh, and the song she is referring to ... here's a link to it... incredible!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps