An essential part of my message on Sunday was an understanding of grace. (In fact, an essential part of every message on every Sunday is grace!) In explaining grace, I referred to the Hebrew word cheen and the image it connotes of God leaning over, reaching out his hand. I first encountered this understanding through the above piece by the artist Anneke Kaai. To better appreciate this piece, which itself is entitled “Grace,” click here. And read how she explains her art:
The Hebrew word cheen indicates an inclination, a bending over, a reaching out. This root meaning comes out clearly in the grace of God. It is overwhelming, full of love (red), and precious (gold) because it cost God his only Son, as symbolized by the Cross.
Ephesians 2:5c, 7 “It is by grace you have been saved ... in Christ Jesus.”
On Sunday, we encountered the word grace in the answer Jesus gave to Paul after the third time he pleaded for the removal of his thorn: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:8). I explained that the Greek word for grace, charis, conveys God’s empowering approval in action—his readiness to act on your behalf not because you deserve it, but because in the crucified, resurrected Christ the Father pours pleasure-filled power into the very places where you are weakest.
Take a few moments this week to sit with your thorn, and ask Jesus to open your eyes to the grace given to you. Perhaps contemplating Anneke Kaai’s “Grace” will help, along with slowly reading Ephesians 1:3-10, the passage for this upcoming Sunday.
Your Pastor in Christ,
Comments