Bill Byars
Galatians 5: 4
April 4, 2014
Those of you who try to be put right with God by obeying the Law have cut yourselves off from Christ. You are outside God’s grace.
You who want to be justified by the law have cut yourselves off from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
An accomplished climber endured a strenuous trek up a mountain peak reached by only a very few people. As he was admiring the view and catching his breath, the rocks underneath his feet shifted. He lost his balance and fell over the edge of the cliff. He managed to grab hold of a tree root to stop his fall. In a panic, he yelled out, “Is there anyone up there who can help me?” A deep, powerful voice answered, “This is God. I want to help you. Just let go.” The man carefully repositioned his hands to tighten his grip on the tree, looked down past his dangling legs at the valley far below, looked up and cried out, “Is there anyone else up there to help me?”
We seek justification and try to please God while holding on to our ‘circumcisions,’ rituals, task lists and uncertainties. We want to control all of the circumstances (and outcomes) in life, even at our own peril. It’s scary to fall into God’s grace. Or, maybe I should say it’s scary to doubt God’s grace. Truth is, the only way to experience grace is to “just let go.”
Prayer: I have been falling away from your grace. Forgive me of my doubt. Grant me through your grace the faith to trust you. Lord, help me to let go of ______ _______ (fill in the blanks) and to fall into your grace.
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