Journey into Outer Grace

First fall, four years ago arrived

With four of us, lugging mountains

Of luggage behind us, facing mountains

Before us only faith could shift. Britain:

New, looking not foreign enough, same

Yet deeply different, like fraternal twins.

We pulled up to our new house, ready

For us, but we were shy.  Not the girls,

Running to explore the housescape,

The “garden” outside, half gravel/half grass.

Everything like Alice in the looking-glass;

Turned around somehow, unsettled.

Then familiar, a lamppost waiting for us,

Like Lantern Waste in Narnia, relief

That we were close to Home after all,

If only past fur coats.  Quests begin

In such a little way as this…

I started a blog with good intentions–it always seems more glamorous when you first try out some new idea or technology, doesn’t it?  But over time it has been easy to forget posting very often.

So I am going to try to post more often, at least once a week, and then maybe you will actually find something new on here the next time you visit our blog!

Today is a pretty ordinary day, really.  My work in the church is anything but winding down in the last 2 months we’re here in England.  It’s pretty busy… there’s lots to do, and I think the day we leave will come as a bit of a shock.  Still, we will have November to get ourselves ready, say our goodbyes, etc.  And Jenno’s sister & family is coming out to spend Thanksgiving with us here.  So that will make it easier.  I will write more later about what we’re all up to.  I’ll try to get some more pictures of Jenno and the girls in, too.

Cheers,

Brian

I picked the title of our blog simply because the theme of a journey is a strong one in my life as well as for our family at this point.  But it’s also a reminder that we are on a journey that leads deeper into the reality of the grace of God in our world.

It also begs a question–is there Outer Grace really?  I mean, do you think there are situations in the lives of Christians in which grace is absent, perhaps through their moral failures?  Or do you think there is no limit to the redeeming scope of God’s grace in Christ?

Perhaps an example helps.  Let’s say Greg is a typical evangelical American Christian.  He is committed to his local church (and teaches Sunday School), tries to keep his thoughts pure in what he watches, tries to do his best as a local cabinet-maker, and spends time with his wife and kids.  Greg surrendered his life to Christ at the age of 25, and continues to see living for God as his top priority. However, things start going downhill for him when the business doesn’t do so well.  The financial crisis which develops leads to arguments with his wife about money.  Greg works longer hours in order to help make ends meet, but then feels guilty because he’s not spending much time with his kids.  Over the next year, the family slowly starts going into debt, and Greg feels like a failure as a provider, a husband, and father.  He is depressed when he sees how far he is from the biblical ideal of what a Christian man should be.  His prayer life seems less real, and he is really struggling.  During this time of stress, he becomes more frustrated with himself and irritated with others.  In desperation he secretly turns to booze, which he hasn’t touched since his college days.  He begins to enjoy the flirting of the secretary at work, since he and his wife have grown distant from each other lately.  After work one day, he stops at the bar and has one too many.  While driving home that night, he doesn’t see his daughter playing in the driveway, and hits her.  She goes to the hospital, and survives, but suffers from paralysis and will need a wheelchair permanently.

I know this seems far-fetched, but this stuff happens.  And when it does, do you think that this man has crossed the line somehow and forfeited God’s blessing?  Is he out of reach of God’s grace? 

Perhaps you would agree with me that God’s grace covers this man, and as he repents, he can be restored to his wife, to the injured child, to his Sunday School position (although some time off could be needed).  God’s grace can heal a broken man’s life.  Titus 3:3-7 reminds us that we are forgiven in Christ, not because of our moral record at any time, but “He declared us not guilty because of His great kindness.” (NLT) 

But would he have gone out of reach of God’s grace if, for example, he had gone “further” and had an affair with the secretary?  Or let’s say he was a minister of a church and not a carpenter, and he had an affair.

The reason I’m asking, is to probe our understanding of what God’s grace really is.  Many people I know would say that a Christian who sins “big-time” can of course be forgiven by God, but they might be permanently disqualified from ministry, or child-care, etc. depending upon the sin.  Is this biblical?

I’d like to hear your views, if anyone has some…