We crouch behind our walls and fences, readying ourselves for what we’ve learned to fear. We lock all doors, secure the bars. We mentally rehearse our steps, our routes. We twitch at unfamiliar sounds, lie wide awake when branches scrape the roof, and wait for light and morning. Whoever is not us is “other”—a nameless, faceless “stranger” we assume means only harm. “They” are the people unlike us—of different race, perhaps; or language, habits, customs, faiths. We crave the time machine that takes us back to comfort as we knew it. But grace is so remarkably persistent that even locks and fears cannot deter how it reshapes our thinking. When you discover—at long last—that you were “other” to the Lord—that you were threatening to His kingdom, a rebel to His law and rule, and damaging the world with your hostility and hate. And still He loved—still welcomed you into His house, and gave you keys to all the property. He trusted you before you knew you could be trusted; offered you forgiveness—yes—for sins not yet repented of. We were embraced before we even tried to love. “God proves His love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5:18). So grace remakes our way of seeing those we used to fear—takes down our walls brick after brick—until we learn that difference is a source of joy, that “other” can be “brother,” “sister” “neighbor,” “friend.” The great unlearning has begun. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott
Note: If you are blessed by GraceNotes, we invite you to subscribe.
Mission 150 - Episode 01 - Mission Reluctance
GIFTED AND GIVEN (March 31, 2023)
THE GRACE THAT LIFTS (March 24, 2023)
GRACE ONSTAGE (March 17, 2023)
GRACE AND FEAR (March 10, 2023)
CONTAGIOUS GRACE (March 03, 2023)
FREE AND EQUAL (February 24, 2023)
NOTHING RANDOM ABOUT KINDNESS (February 17, 2023)
THE WORK OF FAITH (February 10, 2023)
COSTLY GRACE (February 03, 2023)
GRACE BELOW THE EARS (January 27, 2023)
THE CHAIN OF GRACE (January 20, 2023)
THE MASTER MOSAIC (January 13, 2023)
GRACE IN THE VOYAGE (January 06, 2023)
WALKING ACROSS THE LINE (December 30, 2022)
NO BETTER GIFT (December 23, 2022)
THE CERTAINTIES OF GRACE December 16, 2022)
NO STRINGS ATTACHED (December 09, 2022)
GRACE THAT LIFTS (December 02, 2022)
GRACE AT THE GATES (November 25, 2022)
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Hello Heaven Podcast
Devoted To Prayer
Cast The Word
Let Me Be Frank | Bishop Frank Caggiano’s Podcast | Diocese of Bridgeport, CT
Rudolf Steiner Audio
Conspirituality