Trade Denied/Grace Realized
This week several teams in the NFL traded players. One trade, between the Detroit Lions and the
Philadelphia Eagles, would have swapped running back Jerome Harrison for
running back Ronnie Brown. But the trade
did not happen. Both players were required to undergo a physical before the
trade was made official; upon seeing the results of Harrison’s physical, the
trade was voided. According to ESPN, the
physical revealed a brain tumor. If this
proposed trade had not happened, it is impossible to say when or if Harrison’s tumor
would have ever been discovered. Fortunately it
is in the very early stages, and he hopes to make a full recovery.
Have you ever accidentally tripped upon grace? Ever had one
of those “ah-ha moments” when the universe seemed to tumble together in the
right order? I have no idea if Mr
Harrison is a spiritual/religious guy or not, but I suspect upon hearing the
news of his physical he saw life in a different light. And I imagine there was more than a little
bit of gratitude, perspective, and celebration.
Each of us stands on one side of a door. We do not know what
is on the other side, but somehow, someway, we are beckoned to grasp the knob,
turn it, open the door, and step inside. There are a number of scriptures that
speak to the metaphor of the door: one of my favorites comes from Revelation
3:20: Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Open the door, and I will
come in to you.” There is a famous painting in St Paul’s Cathedral in London by
William Holden Hunt called “Light of the World.” Jesus stands there, knocking,
and we wait with him to see if the person opens it. The thing is: if you look closely at the painting,
there is no handle on the outside of the door. It can only be opened from the inside. Jesus calls each of us and
waits: knocking, listening, hoping.
Join us this Sunday for Commitment Sunday. We’ll ask the
Lord to guide us through the door to another year full of opportunities to
minister to others. We’ll seek faith strong enough to step through the open
door to newer, deeper life in Jesus Christ. We’ll challenge one another to grow
further in love, and we’ll hold one another accountable through it. Because every
now and then we are accidentally surprised by grace. And in those moments we
want to be mindful, and thankful, for all of God’s gifts.
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