Grace. Grace can be defined as “the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.” While I believe that is an accurate definition, I also believe grace cannot be adequately understood from a definition. To truly comprehend grace, we must begin to experience it and live it out in our relationships with the people in our world.

This has long been a favorite subject of mine, but lately I find myself spending an unusual amount of time on this profound, sometimes elusive and desperately vital subject. I’ve been rereading Scripture passages and favorites books of mine on the subject and in general asking God to help me wrestle with grace. In this short article I will not presume to have all the answers. I would like share a few thoughts on the subject and challenge you to honestly wrestle with grace.

I believe:

·The only hope any of us have of a relationship with God, forgiveness of sins or hope of heaven, is this thing called grace. We can’t earn it, become religious enough or through any effort of our own accomplish these things. We need grace, this unearned favor of God offered to us because of Jesus’ sacrifice on a cross on our behalf.

·Grace is difficult for us to understand and experience, partly because in most every area of our lives we operate based on performance. We naturally gravitate more toward cause and effect, just desserts, payment for work done, etc., simply because this is the world we live in.

·While almost all Christian churches preach, teach and believe a gospel of grace, I fear that peopleare likely to experience something radically different from grace when they spend much time around us. I believe this is partly due to the dilemma that true grace is a difficult reality to truly live out. If we’re not careful, we can believe and teach grace, but communicate a form of legalism andacceptance based on performance. When you meet my expectations and live like I require, then I will be gracious toward you.

·When I read the Gospel accounts, I see Jesus attracting people that were not accepted by the religious leaders of His day - people who were the outcasts and untouchables of society.

They we’re drawn to Jesus, I would suggest because of this thing we call grace.

What grieves me is that I believe it is extremely rare for we who call ourselves Christ followers to radiate anything even remotely close to this Grace of Jesus we find in the Gospels.

·For many of us I believe we find demonstrating grace easier when relating with people who are like us. However, when their age, race, income level, preferences and lifestyles are different from ours thisbusiness of grace becomes much more challenging.

·I believe a significant tragedy and challenge facing the church in our culture is the fact that grace is often not the first impression people away from God have of His church.

Too often they know what we’re against, but not what we’re for. I fear that in our attempts to win a “culture war” we end up demonstrating something vastly different than what Jesus demonstrated to the people around Him.

I pray that you experience God’s grace in your life and grow in your ability to truly demonstrate grace in all your relationships with people near and far from God. I pray that we who are Christ followers exude His Grace more and more.

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Editor’s note: Al Fowler40 Years Ago

Thursday, April 8, 1971 Pea Ridge Graphic

Special Easter services were planned at area churches.

It was announced that Linda McElmurry, assistant to the editor, would run the Graphic while the editor claimed a much -needed rest in the form of a trip to the Great Northwest.

A young Pea Ridge mother, Mrs. Tommy Patton, and her two small children, Melissa, 9 months, and Jeffry, 4, were forced off the highway near Pea Ridge, when a late model lavender Mustang Mach I crossed into her lane of traffic in Sugar Creek valley.

Election of officers for the City of Little Flock were set for May 18 and residents of the newly-incorporated town were to change their voting precinct in order to vote.

30 Years Ago Wednesday, April 8, 1981 The Pea Ridge Country Times

A first responder class was sponsored by Northwest Vo-Tech of Springdale for members of the Pea Ridge Fire Department, according to Fire Chief Sam Spivey. Attending the class were three police officers, 12 firemen and one paramedic trainee, including Lloyd Pifer, David Fellows, Bill Long, Sam Spivey, Jerry Collins, Rick Whitaker, Jay Hale, Ray Easley, Argie Miller, TommyCamp, Roger Harris, Harold Cothran, Darrell Bone, Ron Harkins, Shirley Harris and Pam Faux.

Pea Ridge students will skate for bucks to boost the park pavilion fund when

News, Pages 2 on 04/06/2011