Will and Grace

I never got the credit for being born. The doctor slapped me on the butt; but not in a congratulatory way.  I was thinking whoa, that was tough; somebody give me a high five and knuckle it. I got nothing.  It was bright and confusing and I had to wait for everything.  Where I came from everything happened automatically.  I guess I had it pretty good because I never got hungry, and my place was temperature controlled, you know; cushy.  Then I came here and had to learn the breathing thing and deal with the lights; and did I mention the waiting?

I also received no recognition for trusting my parents.  Sure, they sacrificed their comfort and provided the DNA, the environment, and the daily diligence to remove all of the obstacles they could to ensure my growth.  But I put my faith in these people; shouldn’t I get credit for that?

So what?, now you don’t appreciate my decision to trust in them either?  You think it was a natural and logical response to everything they did?  Well thank you Mr. Spock.  Ok, well what about the growing thing?  I mean, for example, one summer I grew five inches.  Again, your response is:  “no Scott you don’t get credit because your growth was a natural response to hereditary and environmental conditions.”   What a Vulcan killjoy you are.  I need some points here.

You think I place too much emphasis on my part in all this?  I guess you are right.  I suppose that whether we are talking about physical or spiritual growth the ones who planned it and made it possible should get the credit.  If I give in to you on that point maybe you will agree with me that the whole faith or works question regarding salvation is silly.

God made all the sacrifice and preparation to restore the possibility of a relationship in which I could experience his affection, his governance, and his power to live and grow in this life and the next.  When Fred removes the obstacles of pests, drought, bad timing, and lack of nutrition the result is a great crop.  Nobody high fives the corn and tells it “good job”.  My parents get some credit for my existence and survival to adulthood.  Because of them I was born physically, and because of all God has done I was born again.
 
Trusting God with a decision to receive his free gift of a new nature and a new future was as logical as the decision to take my next breath.  The problem, then and now, was that I would have to act upon my new unselfish nature. 
Peter (2 Peter 1:3) said that God “…has provided everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Jesus…”  So, while I don’t get everything I want, I am assured that I have all that I need to successfully navigate life.  Even in a life where we” suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:6).  And to be honest most of the trials are of my own making born of my stubborn unwillingness to learn lessons by gentler means.  Even the real grief I face is normal to this life and not the type of suffering faced by first century and other persecuted believers. 

So by unwarranted grace I have been gifted with the faith to receive relationship and power to live this life well; and an imperishable inheritance on account in heaven.  The natural living out of my new nature ought to be pursuit of deeper relationship, aka knowledge of Jesus.  However, there seems to be so much residual from my old nature that Peter must direct me to be intentional about pursuit of this deeper knowledge and consistent behavior toward a holy life.  “Therefore” he says, “prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

The first half of 1 Peter’s first chapter describes the extravagant provision of God’s grace to make relationship possible.  The balance of the chapter provokes me to respond, exercising my new nature, to deepen the relationship and become more like him.  With mind prepared, selfish reactivity in check, and eyes set on the horizon.

Moffatt said that many “Christian” lives could be described as “an initial spasm followed a chronic inertia”.  As much as I enjoy his use of physics to explain behavior, this truth is still hard to hear.  Too many are content to receive grace in the same way they would purchase fire insurance.  The true follower of Jesus will add to that initial faith by acts of the will empowered by the Holy Spirit.
  
My hope and prayer is that I will be vigilant in preparing my mind for action, take advantage of the power God has provided and set my hope on life with Him submitted fully to his control.  And since He is doing all the work I guess He should get the credit.