Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:13b NIV

Here's a word for today: Grace. Don't think the world gets it. Do we?

There's a three-year-old in my life. His world, today's world, moves so fast. Expected to know so much only three years into this craziness called life. And I think the stress of it gets to three-year-olds just like it does to grammy-year-olds. Sometimes we just want to be loved - no expectations - and a whole lot of g-r-a-c-e when we just want things our way.

We also want to pout, question, and say we don't like it. We don't like worrying about pandemics - pout. We wonder where God is in all the loss - question. We want to be honest when we don't want to stay home, wear a mask, wash hands one more time - don't like it! "Be gracious to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long." (Psalm 86:3 CSB)

In times like this we sometimes don't act like the faith we say we have. We mess up. My grandson loves coming to my house but a few times lately he has been hard to get along with, emotional, unreasonable. I want to get in his face and say 'listen, what's the matter, you have all you need' - instead, I just hug him and wait for it to pass.

Same with God and us. I feel Him trying to find my eyes, to ask what's the matter, to tell me: ‘you have ALL you need’. Instead He just loves me. Knowing that whatever I experience in any trial - past, present, or future - His grace covers it all and it leads to a someday of no more of this.

As a group of friends recently discussed how we often don't act/think/speak like children of God, one of them said the most profound thing. She said when that happens, she just wants to say: "I'm with Him." Jesus, the one who helps us as we muddle through our days. "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life." (John 6:68b GNT)

So today, when you yell, cuss, think bad thoughts, cheat, lie, are jealous, and the list goes on - just lift your eyes so He can get in your face. No condemnation will be found. Gently He will look you in the heart and remind you, He's covered it all - and all this 'stuff', He's got that too.

This God, He's no dictator and He's not a pushover either. But He is the One who allows us to blow it and come running to His lap, again. And forgiveness flows. I'm with Him.

Oh, You are good. So faithful when we are faithless. Help us Lord in this day to day stuff. Show us how we can honor You and turn our questioning to You for all the answers we need. Help us to trust so that we can lead others to know how trustworthy You are. In Jesus’ Name Amen