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Adam Hamilton, in his book Prepare the Way for the Lord, calls the receiving and giving of grace “the rhythm of the Christian life.” I really like that image. It brings to mind the act of breathing. From the moment of birth our lungs have to begin to do what they are created to do so we can sustain life. We breathe in the air around us, receiving what we did not create. We cannot hold it in. For us to live we must breathe out once again. So very necessary to our own life, we do it without thinking. Air in. Air out. Breath in. Breath out. Over and over again.
Grace is like that. An unmerited gift. That which we did not earn has been given to us. Life itself is grace. The love of God is grace. The dawn of a new day is grace. The wonder of the incarnation of God in Jesus to humanity is grace. Yet we are not to hold on to it, to store what we have received for the winter. It is to be received and then given. Grace in. Grace out. Over and over again.
The season of Advent gives us the opportunity to dance to this rhythm of Christian life. As each present is received, another can be given. As bonuses are received, financial resources can be given to others. As each meal is received, food can be given to someone without a table to gather around. Grace in. Grace out. Over and Over again.
See you Sunday,
Lori
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