JB's June Writing Challenge: G is for ... Grace

"... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ..."
(Romans 3:23-24, New King James Version)

Grace
My sweet friend Lisa suggested today's topic, and it being Sunday I thought it was quite an excellent idea.

I'm not here to preach, but I believe in God and in the Bible with all my heart, mind and strength, and am thankful I have received and been blessed with the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ--by His grace alone I am saved. We talk a lot in church about grace and mercy, and define them as grace being getting what you don't deserve, and mercy being not getting what you do deserve. How awesome is that? Because of sin, we deserve to be punished for eternity. Because of the grace of God, our sins are forgiven when we accept Christ, and we get what we don't deserve--eternal life. Joy and celebration beyond measure, for, like, ever.

I know all that sounds like it's straight from a preacher's sermon, and it probably is, as I've been attending church on a pretty regular basis for over 30 years now. I do retain some things. But I believe it, and I accept it as truth.

Here's where it gets interesting; at least, it might seem that way to some people. If you don't believe what I believe, guess what? That's okay. Let me repeat that. It's perfectly fine if you don't believe in the same God I believe in. I'm not going to condemn you, or berate you, or question your beliefs. Why? Because I don't want you to do that to me, and I think you deserve the same respect.

And I'm going to stop there, for a whole boatload of reasons, not the least of which is that if I keep typing on the subject, this post is going to end up a heck of a lot longer than 300 words.

What I'm Reading: One of the books on my nightstand is a nonfiction about Coach John Wooden (called, fittingly, Coach Wooden, written by Pat Williams), a profoundly inspirational narrative about his beliefs, the way he lived his life, and the way he taught (i.e., coached) all the young men who came through his basketball programs. It's good stuff, and not just for sports fans. Highly recommended reading, from me to you, while we're on the subject.

Until tomorrow ...