The Scandal of Grace

The Scandal of GRACE

This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Many women are captivated by a television show, Scandal. This sitcom is a well crafted, nail biting drama. The audience is drawn to the edge of their seat waiting for the next scene. If you frequent Facebook or Twitter while this show is on, more than 90% of post made by sisters are about Scandal, or the lead actress, the fictitious, Olivia Pope. She is a fixer and she does her job with detail, timing and multitasking that most women can appreciate. This beautiful, black woman dominates in a powerful role.

The amazing thing about this show is that the audience is captivated. From radio to television, from Twitter to Facebook, this fictitious character, Olivia Pope has made her way into the heart of many men and women. Somehow the power of her position as well as her beauty help us to airbrush her flawed existence. Perhaps it is the grace of her speech and the confidence of her strut that allows us to readily identify with her character. Maybe she reminds us of how complex we are behind our make-up and fashionable images.

Her beautiful existence is tainted by her “forbidden love” (quoted from her creator) for a married man. Somehow the writer has drawn the viewer to a place where she might applaud what she would ordinarily condemn. We may celebrate what would ordinarily break our hearts. The paradox that most if not all of us cry with our sister friends when a husband’s affections wander from home but for this show we may hope that this love is realized. With Scandal, we may think they were meant for one another! His wife is greatly flawed and miserably insufferable. One may think, he needs to leave her! The circumstances plead for understanding and support, this man loves her. He wants her. She loves him. It’s complicated and conflicting.

Our leading lady is not as powerful as we think but everyone wants a hero, or she-ro. I’ve seen a couple of episodes of this show but it makes me think about the Scandal of GRACE. A single encounter with Christ Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith and He is indeed my Hero. He is the FIXER. Long before Shonda Rhimes could grasp a pen or tap a keyboard, God was divinely orchestrating to bring loving redemption into your story. His good plan takes the worst messes that I’ve made of my life and cause them to work out for good. I just can’t get over it. I know, some may think get over it already. I canNOT.

I am ruined for everything that excludes Him. And day and night you will find me on the edge. As I follow Him out in the deep, I find that there are sharp turns down winding roads with surprising twists. I’m yearning for a moment with Him and always desiring a fresh encounter. Not mystical, but always magical when I see the evidence of Him working. He takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary! Sometimes, I’m disappointed because I’m too simple for the plot but most often I am ecstatic because He is Wonderful.

My emails, tweets and posts are drenched with awe of Him. I am captivated by His love. He knows that I am deeply flawed and bankrupt because I brought nothing to the relationship except desperation. I have always been the object of His affection. His love covers me and He consistently makes deposits. He fills my cup that is a bottomless pit to satisfaction. He owns everything and withholds no good thing from me. His love is radical and no one compares to Him.

He didn’t take the plea deal that Satan bargained. He dare not go for a settlement in His wilderness moment of temptation. He knew that my sin issues are deep. The Scandal of Grace is that He never courted me in an improper manner. He never pursued me inappropriately. He had already thought it out from the beginning and He sought me out. He is the ultimate Gentleman.

My relationship with Christ granted me access to God the Father. Christ prepared a place for me in the eternal kingdom and He sent the Holy Spirit, the comforter to guide me through life’s crooks and turns. He is all about our relationship and willing to follow the divine plan to accomplish it! His last words on the cross screamed His love for me, “It is Finished!” And the veil was torn and I was granted access to God the Father.

We may plan outings and evenings around a show of scandalous happenings. In the office, store, or online we can eagerly talk about them. You see I have that same enthusiasm of Scandal fans, talking about how God showed up, wondering what will happen next and hoping not to miss a second of the story as He reveals Himself. So, what’s a girl like me to do? The least I can do is talk about it! God is Jealous for me and rightly so because He has extravagantly demonstrated His love by Christ's death on the cross.

While in Ms. Rhimes’ Scandal, Fitz took an alternative route to accomplish his career goals by marrying a woman he did not love. In the opportune moment, Mr. President was forsaking the one he could love long before he met her. But not my Hero, Jesus Christ. His plan has always been to love me. His plan always included loving you. His plan is what is best for me and you.

He didn’t dare leave us to fend for ourselves, to be His mistress or even worst, a home wrecker. From the beginning to end, He was, is and always will be committed to you and me. Never to be His girlfriend or only His “friend”,He calls me Beloved and I am His Bride! That was always His plan. He loved me before I ever knew Him. And while Shonda Rhimes may have a captivated audience for her show, Scandal,I cannot get over the Scandal of Grace.

Veronica Garrett ©2013

Break to Breakthrough

I dropped a glass container filled with many things. The glass shattered into broken pieces and the container is unrecoverable.  However, I carefully went through the debris, separating the trash from the treasure.  There I was cautiously sorting items, trying to avoid cuts and bruises from carelessly handling the mess I've made.  I must admit, I was sad about the loss of my fancy bowl of stuff. I gathered all that was salvageable. Some items didn't falter under the forceful impact.

As we go through life often we gather a circle of friends, habits, and philosophies with pride but when the bottom drops out of our lives many of them will fail us.  Eventually we sift through the remaining relationships, behaviors and ideas.  Trying times do not allow us to discover who others really are but instead we discover our authentic self.  The stress test of life are trials and tragedy that prove us.  Suffering does this amazing work because through trials we gain character.

Through the looking glass things are distorted, they just aren't real. I find myself clinging to imaginary relationships, fictitious ideas and invisible truths. My perceptions are incapable of accounting for the hidden things. They presume that all things are laid bare when quite often I don't really see what I think I see.

Someone once said "God never uses anybody to a large degree, until after he breaks that one all to pieces." We know that Christ's life outpours into many. Before Jesus went to the cross He broke bread and gave it to his disciples explaining to them that this is how His body would be broken and given to them.

Many of us are trying to get a breakthrough in our family, financial, or job situation. Breaking through is being stressed so that God can shatter self life out of us for the emerging kingdom life.  Only then can we share greater depths of His love and grace with others. As we are broken if we allow God to have His way, He will separate the trash from the treasure.  We will come forth with a right perception of His grace, a clear understanding of our limitation and a greater revelation of His love. 

In the mist of suffering, why not allow our brokeness to serve a greater purpose? Why should we settle for brokeness?  Pray for the perfecting work.  It is when brokeness bring forth the break through of an enduring faith, a perserving faith, and proven faith to believe God period. To trust God period. Strangely enough a deeply rooted faith does not occur in spite of brokeness but through brokeness.

Just remember when visible things are being broken invisible things are coming together.

Desperate for Deliverance

The children of Israel were progressing. Finally, the dependency for direction of the cloud leading by day and fire by night was over. No longer waiting for manna, or living hand to mouth as we call it. Upon receiving the blessings of God they became comfortable. Instead of being the influence they were greatly influenced by surrounding nations. Slowly but surely, the Israelites begin to turn away from God. The problem with "doing good" is it's never popular.

Isaiah 63 speaks of how God judges his people. In fact, the New Century Version (NCV), verse 10 & 11 states "But they turned against him and made his Holy Spirit very sad. So he became their enemy, and he fought against them." In our nation there isn’t a group of people who so strongly identify with the deliverance of God depicted with Israel as those of the African brought to America.

This people who were not a people became one. Although they came from various tribes, languages, and countries they became one by their slave ship journey. The Americans taught African slaves of their God. Their ears heard and hearts pondered the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery. They heard of God’s great deliverance and they placed their hope and trust in Christ. And after a time God’s hand moved them to freedom.

Today, many African American communities are plagued with brokenness, addictions, illiteracy, and violence.  We fight against poverty but we are dealing with an infraction. Our communities are faced with a moral dilemma of turning away from what is good.

In addition to money and opportunity we desperately need a pivotal turn in the right direction. Certainly it works. God help us as we make a spiritual shift to enjoy what is good and to remember His plan is to prosper us and give us hope as we live in Him.

From long ago no one has ever heard of a God like you. No one has ever seen a God besides you, who helps the people who trust you. You help those who enjoy doing good, who remember how you want them to live. Isaiah 64:4 (NCV)