A vestige of Hope where so many have dropped away from Grace

We always hear ministers speak of grace as a most viable entity that God grants us, yet there are not enough who take hold of the reality it contains. Grace we know comes to us as a gift of the Holy Spirit that should be a special attribute that coupled with faith will be our ship sailing on the water of life; an ocean that has no bottom and flows within the world of paradise.

Revelation speaks of heaven; “Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water. sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of its street. On either side of the river grew a tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there anymore. The throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun, for the Lord God shall give them light, and they shall reign forever and ever.” (Rv. 22: 1 - 5).

It will take a faith that nurtures the grace God has given to each one and we shall enjoy this gift that begins while our mission here on earth requires our tenacious effort to be the hands and force of God himself. Our baptism welcomes each one into the presence of Almighty God, handing us a scroll of the life ahead. It reads; “I have called you from before the moment you appeared in your mother’s womb. I Knew you before you grew up as a servant of mine. To the world I dedicated your grace to ensure the people I would send you will know my love. (cf Jer.1: 5).

Often we may want to discern our mission in this life where we find disappointment, trauma, disloyalty among associates and family, and obstacles one after another as we sojourn on our way. If the road threatens our trek and promises failure, remember there was one who began his ministry confronted immediately by Satan through three temptations. If this wasn’t enough the tempter continued with adversaries attempting to weaken every positive example he presented to his followers. Have you been tempted beyond your strength? So was he. Do your efforts to bring souls to know God become a mountain? He also had this rampart in front of him. Does the walk of faith seem to be a challenge that taxes your every move? Jesus was there himself and even in the garden of Gethsemine Satan was making his final stand against God’s Son to quit.

It took divine grace on Jesus to bear the eternal battle as he was led to our redemption by the crucifixion. It will also take divine grace that we hold onto in order to walk the same path that Jesus walked in order that our final cross will carry each one to the river of paradise. The ship we will travel on is the grace we accepted through our faith.

Ralph B. Hathaway