Glorification

When my family and I moved to the Elmwood area more than seven years ago, one of the most welcoming persons in the community was Jim. He had a calming and encouraging presence. He always had a kind word to say and a connection to make that deep and profound.When I am feeling this honor and underqualification, Jim’s book reminded me that this is where God’s grace comes in. God has been calling the unqualified and the flawed for all the history of the world.God repeatedly supplies grace and glory to human beings. In times when we would reallymess up when left to our own devices. Let us be honest. Even with the backing of God,sometimes we mess it all up because we get in our own way. God continues to provide grace.Grace is a conceptthat I continue to wrap my head around, but it is also my favorite theological subject. I shall always be indebted to this gifted writer.I have four boys. As a parent, I am doing my best to teach my children to do their best and to be intentional about what my kids do and how they do it. I see when they are really trying. I see grace fill the gaps.God is our parent. God is there watching us struggle and succeed. Our Lord sees when we put in our best efforts and when we are lazy and waste our days. We do not need to be perfect. We do not need to have everything figured out the momenta situation presents itself. We are not required to know anything.We need the desire to do our best. Our Creator wants an intimate relationship with us so we can glimpse that glory.The Bible offers many examples of grace, and Jim does an outstanding job in this excellent book of writing about the wonders of grace.His transforming mind shows how God uses grace to fill in the gaps where we fall short.When we rely on God and receive his grace, we can fully glorifyGod in our brief years on earth.We cannot fully grasp God’s glory because it is hard to understand, but we keep trying.As we attempt to capture, share, and understand God’s glory, we are deeplythankful that God’sgrace is therefor us when we miss the mark. I have become even more thankful for the grace of God.I can share it in my preaching and with peopleI encounter. It is my prayer that as you read this book, you gain a little more understanding of what God’s glory and grace look like withJim’s refreshing words. We do not have to become perfect in our interactions; we must do our best.Tothe honor and glory of God. Pastor Michelle Chesnut