Shaped by Grace: Embracing Our Imperfections
Isaiah 64:8
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
It is an amazing thing to me that, in spite of all the chaos that life seems to throw at us, yet our Heavenly Father still maintains sovereign control! From our perspective, many times things feel like they’re spinning out of control. We may even be tempted to think that everything is random, and that there is no sense of order or purpose for us being here. We especially feel this way when we make mistakes or when we displease our Lord by allowing sin to have its way in our lives.
When we sin, and we know it, we ask ourselves, “How could God get any good out of my life anymore?” We often feel that if we ever “blow it”, then it’s blown for good! Many reading this may feel as if you started out on the right foot, but now that you’ve made a few mistakes, you’ll no longer be used of God in a significant way; however, allow me to remind you that the devil is a liar! Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
What the enemy seeks to use to shame you and bring you to a halt, God wants to turn around and use for His glory in your life! Yes, even if you’ve blown it really badly, THERE IS HOPE! As a matter of fact, it is your own blunders that will enable you, after having received forgiveness and shown repentance, to serve in a capacity that will more effectively reach others with the Grace of God! How shall we communicate God’s Grace if we ourselves have not sipped from its cool flowing streams!
Isaiah said it well when he said, “…we all are the work of thy hand.” It doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from, the fact still remains that God’s fingerprints are all over you because He has a reason for you being here! Only be strong in the faith, and do not allow the enemy to hold you back from going for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus! A just man falls seven times, and rises up again (see Proverbs 24:16). Get back up, and go for God!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
It is an amazing thing to me that, in spite of all the chaos that life seems to throw at us, yet our Heavenly Father still maintains sovereign control! From our perspective, many times things feel like they’re spinning out of control. We may even be tempted to think that everything is random, and that there is no sense of order or purpose for us being here. We especially feel this way when we make mistakes or when we displease our Lord by allowing sin to have its way in our lives.
When we sin, and we know it, we ask ourselves, “How could God get any good out of my life anymore?” We often feel that if we ever “blow it”, then it’s blown for good! Many reading this may feel as if you started out on the right foot, but now that you’ve made a few mistakes, you’ll no longer be used of God in a significant way; however, allow me to remind you that the devil is a liar! Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
What the enemy seeks to use to shame you and bring you to a halt, God wants to turn around and use for His glory in your life! Yes, even if you’ve blown it really badly, THERE IS HOPE! As a matter of fact, it is your own blunders that will enable you, after having received forgiveness and shown repentance, to serve in a capacity that will more effectively reach others with the Grace of God! How shall we communicate God’s Grace if we ourselves have not sipped from its cool flowing streams!
Isaiah said it well when he said, “…we all are the work of thy hand.” It doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from, the fact still remains that God’s fingerprints are all over you because He has a reason for you being here! Only be strong in the faith, and do not allow the enemy to hold you back from going for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus! A just man falls seven times, and rises up again (see Proverbs 24:16). Get back up, and go for God!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill