Free Pizza and Ever Flowing Grace

  I know the title sounds a little funny, but follow me for a minute please and then it will make sense.  Saturday night my wife and I had been working pretty hard around the house and frankly as good as the steak looked in the fridge, neither of us had the energy to grill it. So, we do what most do, we ordered pizza.  I ordered it on-line and a few minutes later left to go pick it up a few minutes later.  When I got there to pick it up, they said the order never came through, that they were backed up, and if I wanted to order it would be another 30 minutes.  I was hungry but lazy and said okay.  So, I went over to Trader Joe's to do some grocery shopping, took my time, got everything loaded in the car and then went to pick up the pizza a few doors away. Only, when I got there, I found out it had 39 minutes to go.  "What?" I thought, but didn't say.  I sat and sat and waited, and I am sure I didn't look like I was ready to do a joy, joy, happy, happy dance.  When my pizza was finally ready, they boxed it and handed it to me.  I said, "um, I need to pay for it"  The guy behind the counter said, Nope, it's on us, you had to wait so long."

  I was un-done.  I had no reply other than humbled thanks.  I got in my car, drove home and all I could say was this is just a pizza, God's grace is so much more amazing and I just drove away blown away and realizing I have no adequate response to grace.

  What about you?  Ever receive anything free, something of value that was free or a gift that was pretty overwhelming?  What was your response? When it comes to God's free gift of complete forgiveness, un-conditional love and a place in eternity with Him when we pass from this life all you need to say is yes!  It's His offer! It's for anyone no matter what you've done or what's been done to you.  Please respond if this is your story, let me know if you have been blown away by His great offer.

Wonder

At Christmastime my sense of wonder heightens, I love watching children get excited about Santa, toys, decorations and parties. I love how one moment the Christmas Spirit seems bigger than life and people are generous and kind, but then we get stuck in traffic or Black Friday sales and cause riots and get mean and selfish. How are these things possible? This makes me wonder.

In the Book of Corinthians "God made Him who knew no sin to become sin so that we might become the righteousness of God." Wonderful! Amazing! It didn't start with the birth of Christ and it didn't end with the death/sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Christianity is the only religion where God works His way towards us since it's impossible to work our way to Him. That causes me to be in wonder and realize how wonderful God is toward me and all of us.

As I close I leave you with an illustration; if I went out a bought you a Christmas gift, wrapped it, tied a bow around it and placed your name on a card on it, is it yours? You have the knowledge of the gift, I could describe the gift even, but the reality is that is not your gift entirely until you receive it. Many people know about God, Jesus and His offer to completely forgive us of all of our sins. But knowing about it will not change a thing, it's only when you personally receive that gift by asking for it, believing it and trust in what He says He has done. Knowledge is never enough, it's about the experience! I hope you will wonder a lot about why the world has celebrated the birth of God's gift for 2000 years!

The greatest gift you can ever receive is complete forgiveness, unconditional love, and a place with God for eternity. Jesus is the reason for this season and it makes me be in wonder and awe.