The Upper Room "Thought for the Day"

The Upper Room devotional for May 21, 2010 Thought for the Day is this: "If people judged God by my actions, what would they know of grace?"

This question makes me drop my head in shame. I am afraid I do not reflect God's grace very well. Actually I have a pretty dismal track record on the subject. I know some scripture. I know what grace is. I know that God loves me and everyone around me and away from me, even my enemies. I know. I know. I know.

But I don't act like I know. I don't talk like I know. I don't reflect God's grace very well at all. I was part of a skit once where the premise was to see if there was enough evidence to "convict" me of being Christian. Of course, I had all the right answers. It was a skit, you know. I knew ahead of time what I was supposed to say when the "prosecution" presented its case. I knew the responses (lines) to the accusatory questions. Yep, I was convicted in the skit. I was convicted of being Christian.

I'm not sure I would be if it were a real trial. God's grace is evident all around. I'm just not sure it is evident in me or through me. I sometimes reflect God's grace and love and pardon. But it is not routine. I am like Paul. "For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." (Romans 7:18) Although I don't want to imply that I always desire to do what is good, that I even strive to be that obedient. I don't even have the desire as I should. I snap at the caller on the phone, even before I know it is a wrong number, for the first and second time. Ah, I do feel bad about it. But what happens when I get the third wrong number from the same person? I'll likely snap again. It just comes out that way. Where is God's grace then?

Oh, God. Please forgive the example I set. Forgive me for not passing along the grace that You show to me. Please help me to show Your grace to others. It is such a magnificent gift You've given to us. Amen

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