GRACE'S FACE

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

 

Hope has hands freedom has feet

Truth will stand the WORD will speak

The holy and lowly will finally embrace

For love has a heartbeat and grace has a face

 

Compassion has a tear joy has laughter

Here ever after peace has a smile

Redemption’s BLOOD has a vein to flow in

a temple to glow in for light is a child

 

Hope has hands freedom has feet

Truth will stand the word will speak

The holy and lowly will finally embrace

For love has a heartbeat and grace has a face – Phil Cross

 

Love indeed has a heartbeat

Grace most certainly has a face

His name…Jesus.

 

Did you celebrate HIM yesterday?

Celebrate HIS HOPE?

Celebrate HIS freedom?

 

I sincerely love the lyrics to this song because it paints such a beautiful picture of JESUS; the face of grace, the heartbeat of love, the compassionate tear, and the joyful laughter.

 

If you have been following the OFH the last couple of days, you know that I was DEEPLY blessed to travel to Florida with family leading into yesterday.  15 (sometimes as many as 19) Delaney’s, Gable’s, Carlson’s, Schleich’s and others all together sharing many smiles and making many CHRISTMAS memories.

 

And I know from my perspective, looking through my personal lens, it was ALL because of “GRACE’S FACE”.

 

For one decade ago while in the same “Happiest Place on Earth” I was anything but.  I don’t even remember being there in 2007.  The fog of addiction was at full throttle.  I was so sick, twisted and broken.  I was consumed with my compulsion.  What was designed to be a glorious time with family was nightmarish for me as all I could think about was how and where to steal away for “the drink I needed” to stay functioning, upright, and somewhat together. 

It was misery for my family and for me.

 

And yet as I looked at and posted our little festive photo from in front of Cinderella's Castle yesterday, I was reminded that HOPE had and has hands and FREEDOM was granted feet 2000+ years ago in a little town in a little cave. And those hands and feet LOVED ME enough to see beyond what I was to what was possible. 

 

And I can’t be thankful enough for that. 

 

And as I gaze at ALL those faces including mine, I appreciate the gift of CHRISTMAS, the sacrifice of the CROSS and the FACE of GRACE even more.

you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies and hated him and were separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. – Colossians 1:21 (LB)

 

Best gift ever, the FRIENDSHIP of Jesus, for through it CASTLE picture times are possible, reconciliation is possible, joy and laughter are again possible, and HOPE certainly happens.

 

Packer said it this way…

The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity--hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory…

 

He is right.

 

I love you all!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE