Seasons of Grace – #GraceMoments Link Up

The changing of the seasons often evoke a stirring in my soul that is measurable.  It is like the heart to keep time as the days pass and the clock of mother nature shifts in the telling. And I have been thinking of the historians of antiquity, the scholars of Truth and otherwise, that recorded the telling and the kept stories for us to learn from.

And I am pondering the lessons that the seasons teach us.  We can always benefit from the teaching in His Word, that is a given.  There is a thread of grace that is woven through scripture that leaves us always longing to see more of the tapestry He has created in the frame of forever where His Word exists.  But with the emergence of the warmer temperatures, the grass which is absorbing the light waves more each day reveal the chartreuse blades becoming emerald jewels with morning dew.   And the bird song that bursts upon the breaking of the dawn that alights a heart as one pauses to take in the splendor. And I wonder what it must be like to see heaven’s sunrise each day. Each new perspective gained from the lesson teaches us to see Him more.

Living here in the Midwest, I think we get a small sample of that Shekinah Glory which basks on the songs heralded by angel choirs with each new day. Just the awareness of the new life that is blooming all around is enough to let the weights fall off the shoulder and the stress to dissipate into a prayer of thanksgiving for the chance to experience His grace in all our daily beginnings.  It is because of these truths that we are called to know Him more.  We are able to take in His Word, like vitamins for our soul, every single day and reap their powerful effect on our existence. He sends us these reminders regularly.

Each new day is a mercy gift to us. (Lam 3:23)

Each new day is a reminder of His promises. (Hebrews  10:23)

Each new day is an opportunity redeem the time. (Ephesians 5:16)

I spent most of yesterday morning camped out in my yard watching nature come alive.  I feel myself  change as I let the expanse of His creativity touch my soul. I think of Romans 1:20-21 each and every time I take in the wonders of His world. The Word falls from my lips without thought…

  “For since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiwork). So men are without excuse: Because when they knew God, they did not honor and glorify Him.”

His Word, so full, so deep, so good. It never fails to amaze me of the intricacies of God’s precious Truth…and how His World testifies of Him, too. I am astounded when people deny His existence. But there are days I forget to be amazed by all that is before me. I forget to stand in awe, because it is all  miracle if we let ourselves see through His lens of grace. Yet His handiwork is clearly displayed…effortlessly. I am humbled at the patience He has for us, the love His beauty displays, the careful way He unwraps His goodness with intention.

And this grace thing, it is there. Stamped all throughout the living epistle of love that we read and we hide in our hearts.  It is evidenced as we watch the world unfold the hidden beauty that has been slumbering through the cold dark days waiting for the warmth of the sun to melt away the cocoons that have crystallized through winter’s solemn waiting. Spring literally sings of rebirth and hope and expectation, and as we move into the explosion of summer… buds bloom and an echo of praise sounds forth.  Even the rocks cry out in wonder at the fullness of  God. I am moved to silent reverence as I consider the art of walking in humility.

Lessons in the Seasons of Grace are playing out right in front of us.

Through the  lesson of the season, a revelation emerged while I watched the birds move in tandem about their daily working, always in pairs and sometimes in triplicate. They needed no one to tell them what to do, because they were hardwired to be a bird…to be themselves, inherently cared for by the Creator. I envy that freedom.

Just to be simply me; a paradox I am learning to let settle upon my soul. To let weight of that capture close. To be His… it is a grace gift. It’s a gift He gives us as he romances our hearts with the truths of His Word and the gentle nudge of His Spirit within. The love that He sheds abroad, blazing our hearts with the Holy Spirit, sweeping close and hedging in  shatters the shackles that keeps us chained to the unbreakable walls we build.

But did you  know that your name is engraved on His hand and your walls are ever before His face? (Isaiah 49:16) And because of grace there is a changing that takes place with every season. As  we grow through these lessons, we are  left  altered.  Like Creation, it should be evident that the invisible nature and attributes, which are His eternal power and divinity within us, are clearly discernible to others.

• He gives us the gentle push that spending time in concentrated waiting provides. We lose the need to be right when we recognize we don’t deserve grace, yet it is still offered.
• He gives us the expansive ocean of hope that the walking by faith leads us into. We partake of the great exchange of mercy for brokenness and promise in the vast new morning’s possibility.
• He gives us the freedom to choose good, to love others, to live humbly that the ‘letting go’ precedes. We become those who are known not by our own measure but by the abundance of His pouring out of us.

In a moment, the twinkling of an eye, our demeanor changes and we see through a lens that has been veiled by grace. We see things through love’s perspective and our praise is unfiltered, because we simply lift holy hands with nothing else required. We lean into the soul-filling love that can captivate our being, if we let it.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and well-timed help in our time of need.-Hebrews 4:16.

He invites us to come into this place of grandeur and grace every single day.  Time with Him. It is the answer to our every need; and the awe-inspiring solution to our sorrows and our hurts. He leads through the seasons of humility and mercy; sowing and reaping and waiting and resting while new life explodes in blossom.

Humility is the door to God in the Seasons of Grace we live.

I find myself inspired and blessed as I watch Him working.  He is changing my heart daily.  Sometimes the change seems imperceptible, but when I miss a step and he reels me back in grace, I am humbled and overwhelmed by his gentle guiding. The change is gauged by my response to his nudge.

Humility, lessons, and grace seem to go hand in hand. This week, especially, I have learned a few lessons in the art of a humbled heart.  In return He has opened up a bounty of blessing  as He reminds me of the capacity of His love for the broken and contrite heart.  Grace changes our perspective so that when we look a situation for a second or a third time, we see it in a completely different light…. His.

He gives grace to the humble, mercy for each new day, and redemption with our confessions.  He gives us seasons to teach us the parables of life that reach us where we are, so that we can be discerners of grace and willingly distribute our treasure to others.

But he gives us more and more grace… James 4:6

How have you learned to count grace in your seasons of life? Share your stories in the comments section of the  post or leave a photo of your grace moment on Instagram @ #GraceMoments  and tag me in the comment so I can encourage you.

Praying for you to be inspired and to be encouraged by the invitation to sit and rest at His feet and watch as He unfolds the glory He has been waiting to display before you.

IT’S YOUR TURN TO BE A GRACE COUNTER!  SHARE YOUR GRACE MOMENT IN THE COMMENTS BELOW AND THEN COUNT GRACE WITH A FRIEND WITH COMMENT ON A BLOG OR TWO.

If you are a blogger, link up here with  a post about finding grace moments in your life or one of your favorite inspiring and encouraging posts from this week. Share your thoughts in the comment section telling me about the #Grace Moments you experienced this week. *(only 1 post per link please)*

Take time to visit your neighbor next to you, and if you want visit a few more friends on the journey. We all need a little encouragement and affirmation as we travel together.

If you don’t have a blog, you can connect with me via my Journeys in Grace FB page by sharing a photo or a comment.  Or you can join the party by sharing your images on Instagram with #Gracemoments hashtag.

Each week I will  try visit as many of your amazing  posts as I can.This is a safe place to sit and dwell in grace together, friends. I can’t wait to pour a cup of friendship with you and take in the grace moments you have to share. Don’t forget to leave a comment below, I love to hear from you.