photo: © Monkey Business – Fotolia.com
Once again, Five Minute Friday has arrived again! And it is November 1! Wow! October flew!!
The rules for Five Minute Friday are as follows:
- Write for 5 minutes.
- Link to Lisa-Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday page.
- Stop by and write encouraging notes to the person ahead of you for sure…and anyone else you’d like to visit…this is a non-negotiable.
GO
This week I have had new experiences of grace.
In small groups…with people I am still getting to know.
Isn’t it interesting to watch others reach out in love to
People you sometimes can’t say the right words to?
But GOD placed them in your small group.
It makes no difference
If the group is your family, an informal group from church,
Or an assigned small group.
There are days you go to the group and you have nothing to give.
Sometimes there are people who are very needy…
But GOD puts people there who can give just what is needed.
All of us who are in Christ have received abundant grace from GOD.
We need to pass it on freely.
But some days, there isn’t much to pass on.
We are weak. We are weary.
We are broken.
It is all we can do to be kind and show love.
Graciously, GOD puts us with others who are also able to give love…and grace…
In ways we can’t on a given day.
Often their way of giving grace is just what is needed.
It is GOD’s way of giving us grace.
We don’t always have to be the giver. STOP
We can be quiet while someone else gives.
And receive the grace GOD is giving us
While another receives what she needs.
If we claim to have fellowship with him
and yet walk in the darkness,
we lie and do not live out the truth.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
I John 1:6-7
Beautiful post, Martha! Sometimes we give grace and other times…many other times, we need it. I am so thankful that God sent His Son to show us what true grace is and that He continues to send others into our lives to demonstrate that grace so that we in turn can be the picture of His grace to others as well!
blessings,
Gay Idle/CaptiveHeart
thanks gay. yes, they demonstrate grace, often in different ways from ours…and teach us more of what grace actually looks like with skin on. glad you came by again gay:)
Hi Martha!
Thanks for stopping by Renaissance Women. Love this post. Where you say ‘some days there isn’t much to pass on’ – I live there right now. Praise God for the small group He has put around me at this time and the grace they are blessing me with.
Have a great weekend!
~ Cassandra
cassandra, glad you enjoyed the post. i think all of us live there more often than we tend to admit. that’s why He put us in the Church…and the small groups within the church. Those people and friends are a wonderful gift!
“Gritty Grace” – what a great title for your site and today’s article fits so perfectly!
Your picture of love and grace extended and received in a small group setting is beautiful… I could just picture it! It’s true… it’s the way it’s meant to be…
We all have something to give… and sometimes what we have to give is just ourselves and our open hearts and hands, to be a friend. Giving and receiving grace… what a beautiful portrait of the Body of Christ!
thanks susan. glad you stopped by. nice to meet you.