Scandal of Grace

“Grace, what have You done?
Murdered for me on that cross!
Accused in the absence of wrong,
my sin washed away in Your blood!
Too much to make sense of it all;
I know that Your love breaks my fall!
The scandal of grace, You died in my place
so my soul could live!” - Hillsong United

Jesus, what were You thinking? What have You done? You chose to die for a people that wouldn’t know the full weight of what You were doing. No one knew that the world would forever be changed; and since Your death and resurrection, our world has carried on as if nothing happened. Desperately trying to ignore or refute the fact that the Son of God died in our stead, because we couldn’t save ourselves.

It’s too much to make sense of it. There are so many questions; and yet, there are no words to describe the amount of love You must have for us, to come here and die in such a humiliating way. And You go above and beyond just simply forgiving us. You allow us to have abundant life in You; to experience a love and a hope every day that cannot fade as long as You sustain it.

“Oh, to be like You!

To give all that I have just to know You!

Jesus, there is no one besides You!

Forever the hope in my heart!” - Hillsong United

Jesus, sanctify us! Make us more like Yourself. Prompt us to empty ourselves, to give our everything, just so that we can know You better. After all, that’s what You did for us. You gave up power to be weak; You gave up abundance to have hunger; You gave up honor to have humility; You gave up comfort to be tempted. You gave EVERYTHING, and no one has ever done that, nor will anyone be able to. You are the only salvation and hope for our tired, weary, and sin-laden hearts. You will always and forever be the hope of mankind; without You, we would be lost and left to our own devices. Thank You for offering a way out!

“Death, where is your sting?

Your power is as dead as my sin!

The cross has taught me to live!

And mercy, my heart now to sing!

The day and it’s trouble shall come;

I know that Your strength is enough!

The scandal of grace, You died in my place,

so my soul can live!” - Hillsong United

Jesus, You have brought about amazing, incredible victory for us by Your blood! You have conquered Death itself! You have made a way for us to live in a new life; one defined by an outpouring of Your love in our lives, and the forgiveness freely offered by Your grace. I know that we’re going to face trouble; You promised us that. The way our country is headed, it seems like we need You to show up more and more. But Jesus, You already have. Your strength has ALREADY overcome. Now, change our hearts, because of Your loving kindness, and let us be the change this world so desperately needs.

“And it’s all because of You Jesus!

It’s all because of You Jesus!

It’s all because of Your love that my soul will live!” - Hillsong United

Jesus, we acknowledge that we can do nothing apart from You. It’s You that has saved us, it’s You that has changed us, and it’s You that deserves the honor and the glory. When we are recognized because of the men and women You are creating in us, that glory is Yours. When we are spit upon and mocked because of our character, that shame is Yours too. By You we live, and by You we die. It’s all because of You, Jesus, that we can live in an abundant life here on Earth, and also, in Heaven. 

Thank You for Your incredible faithfulness to us that goes beyond the words of a blog post or that of a song. You are truly an incredible, wonderful, beautiful, worthy God.

*all lyrics taken from the song "Scandal of Grace," by Hillsong United*

After You

“Let the songs I sing bring joy to You,
let the words I speak confess my love.
Let the notes I choose be Your favorite tune,
Father, let my heart be after You.” - NEEDTOBREATHE

Jesus, no matter what I’m doing, may it always glorify and honor You. So often I get caught up in this world of distraction, but I want every moment of my life to be spent with You. The responsibility and activity of each day is an incredible opportunity for worship that I all too often miss. Be on my mind always.

Lord, there are days when I slow down enough to spend some time creating, just like You created us. I want to bring You a gift that is beautiful and that will make You smile, but some days, it feels as if all I can offer isn’t good enough. Remind me in those moments that You delight in any gift that I bring to You, and that You’ll honor the time I spent making it. Though You are worthy of so much more, You count as perfect the broken worship I bring before You.

“May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable to You,

Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” - Psalm 19:14 HCSB

Jesus, You call us to not just glorify You in Spirit, but in every aspect of our lives. You told the Pharisees that the greatest command was to “…love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength,” (Mark 12:30 HCSB). Jesus, help me not to just glorify You in Spirit, but also with my emotions, intellect, and physical ability. Shape every part of my life to reflect Your own; not just the times I set aside for intentional time with You.

Teach me daily what it means to live it like You did. You’ve inspired me with 1 John 2:6, now, sanctify me daily as I pursue You. Help me to live in a relationship with You, and not just for You, because obedience is only one aspect of our many-faceted relationship. Make my heart one of flesh, and inspire love and obedience in it for You, because it often strays.

Thank You for Your faithfulness and commitment to me thus far, even though I never deserve it. Your graciousness and love is without end. Day and night, the four living creatures cry, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (Revelation 4:8 ESV). May that be my heart’s cry every day.

Father, let my heart be after You.

Architecture

"I want You to be where my heart runs to, clings to; Jesus, I so need You! I want You to be where my heart goes!" - Colton Dixon

Jesus, I so need You. I feel this world pulling me a million different ways. The voices in my heart cry out against the noise all around me, and You're the only One I want to hear. Let me hear Your quiet, still whisper amidst the noise. Let me refresh my soul in Your house, because mine has collapsed to the shaking and tugging of this world and left my foundation exposed.

And such a foundation could not be more beautiful; the tumbling walls of my own design expose the stable, beautiful architecture that You've built in my life. Nothing could be more wonderful. Walking through the rubble of my own demise, and seeing Your hand throughout my entire life, fills me with gratitude. The stone and mortar lying at my feet, what I've built in the past, will soon be swept away by Your grace, to be forever forgotten. 

Jesus, You'll help me build a new house. You always show me a new technique, a new feature, that could make my house stronger, bigger, or more beautiful. Because of Your teaching, as a Master Craftsman, I can fit more guests into my house to receive grace and love; more than ever before. And when my guests are away, I dine at Your table, and You send me away with more than enough to continue sharing with others.

Although this house I build is faulty, just like all of the others, I know You have Your hand in it. You are always helping me build. You show me how to work the tools and put up the walls and make the building habitable. 

My house will fall over again, but I still want You to help me build it. Many people wouldn't want the task set before me. Who in their right mind would want to build a house to watch it fall, and then build it all over again? Jesus, I do. I'm willing to build my house as many times as it takes, as long as You're there helping me. What I've learned in the past, I can apply as I craft this new one; and You again have the opportunity to teach me new techniques. This house will be better than the last, just as the last was better than the one before it.

Jesus, You have supplied the foundation for my houses. It has NEVER failed. It has NEVER cracked. It hasn't even moved. It's the same foundation that's been since the first house You helped me build. My house has fallen on top of it many times, but the foundation remains. That foundation is Your Word, Jesus Christ. God, You have shown Your faithfulness in my life. Every time You give me grace, every time You pull through for me, my foundation gets a little bit bigger, giving me a bigger plot of land to build on. Your promises to me have never failed, and they too keep my house standing.

Jesus, make my house a reflection of Your own. I have visited Your house countless times to be comforted. Let my house be a place of refuge for those who are hurting. Let my house be a base of operations for staging wonderful works. Let my house be indwelt by Your Holy Spirit, and let it be a presence that can be felt by all those who enter. Let them glorify You because of Your work in my life.

Don't let my house's lights go out. Even when I'm weary, Lord, give me the energy to stay awake. Let me always be willing to accept strangers into my doors. Let me not grow weary in doing the very things that You have done for me. For I have knocked on Your doors, and You have let me in. You never fail. You are my refuge, and strength, and peace, and joy. 

My King, Your house is the biggest. The house You are helping me build is but a shack when measured against Your own. You are the most gracious, most faithful, and most loving. Your walls never fall. Your lights never go out; You are the light to Your house. You can sit thousands at Your table, and never run out of grace to give them. You invite everyone, despite of what they've done or who they are, and You give them rest. You give them peace. You are an amazing God.

I know the storms will come again. I know my house will fall again. I know the rubble will lie at my feet again, just as it is now. I know I'll grow tired and turn my lights off again. I know I'll lock the doors from fear again. I know I'll empty my pantries and have no grace to offer again. I'll make mistakes. I'll fail You. I'll crumble again.

But You help me rebuild. You give me the strength. You are my God, and You are the One I cling to. Nothing could separate us; not even me. I thank You for Your faithfulness in my life, and I don't see the rubble as another failure as much as another chance to join You in building my house. It'll be better than before. You can come live in it. It'll look more like Your own, because You will have helped me build more of it. Your craftsmanship will be displayed in it's architecture; strong, big, and beautiful.

And Jesus, when my heart fails again, I'll run to You. You'll give me grace. You'll show Your faithfulness. You'll help me rebuild my house. And finally, when it falls for the final time, I'll become a permanent residence in Your house. I will be in Your presence and worship and glorify You. I will sing of all that You've done for me; no, with me. For You are not a God who is distant and does it all for us, but a God who is personable and invites us to join Him in His work. To You be all the glory and honor and praise, forever and ever. Amen.

"This is my song that I sing forever: You are my home, You are what I treasure! I want You to be where my heart goes! And if it all breaks, and if it goes to pieces, You are the One that I will believe in; I know You won't ever let me go! I want You to be where my heart goes!" - Colton Dixon

God's Great Work

Jesus, how did I ever get so lucky to have You find me?

Before You showed up, I was filled with doubt. I had grown up learning about You, but nothing really seemed to line up, because even though You were a good God, I felt pain. I didn't understand it at the time, but those experiences were for the best. I cried out to You, but it felt like no one was listening. I was filled with anger towards a God that I doubted even existed. And instead of wiping me off the face of the earth, You just watched and waited. You waited with me. Although I couldn't hear You, You cried with me. Although I couldn't see You, tears streamed down Your face. When I felt the most alone, You desired to give me a shoulder to lean on; but You waited to show up until I was ready.

That night when I had given up hope, when I decided to stop crying out to You, I felt empty. I let go of the only hope I knew - the hope of a Savior - because I had not experienced salvation from my circumstance. I stared at the ceiling, wondering what I was going to do now that I concluded that You no longer existed, contemplating my fate. 

On my own, I found only darkness and a void. There was no light in me, and although many would have claimed You were there with me, I wouldn't have believed it. I do now, Jesus. I see Your hand in my past so clearly now. 

Because of my limited vision, all I can ever find is darkness. There is nothing for me to see apart from You, because apart from You, I am blind.

But Jesus, You showed up. You opened my ears to hear the knock on my soul that night. I thought it was a knock on my door, and I was confused. So You revealed to me, through Your word, that You wanted to be in my life. When I had stopped searching for You, You found me. You made Yourself known.

Jesus, do You remember that night? How the song on the radio reminded me of Your love, and how great it is? Do You remember how I cried when I realized You were real, when before I had somehow missed the glaring truth? Do You remember how You took my pain and separated me from it, and gave me a new life to live?

Jesus, that was the first time I met You. But it wouldn't be the last.

What about the time I had decided to turn my eyes from You to look upon the pleasures of this world? I had decided I knew what was best for my life. I slowly felt the darkness and void creeping in, and Your quiet, still voice convicted me. It wasn't easy, but You led me out of that place and gave me a purpose for my life, however simple: to give up living by the rules, and instead live alongside You. To live with You in a beautiful, intimate, dynamic relationship.

That day You started a great work in me. And while, I guess, You had always been working on me, this was the day You started working with me. Do You remember? Do You remember when You put others looking for hope in my path, and I stumbled through the process of pointing them to You? All that time, Jesus, You were showing me how to love.

You put me in leadership positions that presided over many of my life activities. You showed me how to change the world for the better, and how to lead by serving. By example, Jesus, You led me to understand that leadership is really just showing others the way by doing it yourself. You lived a life that demonstrates the way I must live my life. Jesus, I want to live like You.

Jesus, do You remember when You first had me write? I wrote a paragraph that was simple, but it was for You. And You took my offering, and turned it into something wonderful. Now, I am astounded every day to see Your hand on my pen. You excite me, Jesus, because I know that You're going to do great things in my life. They may not seem great to me, but You will be glorified. Help me to be content with that, and not seek my own glory.

How could I ever have gotten so lucky? Jesus, out of the abundance of Your heart, You gave Your life so that I may live. And now that I'm indebted to You, You give me freedom - You've cleared my ledger. I owe You nothing; and yet, I want to give You everything. You didn't just give Your life, You chose to stoop down to my level and live life with me. I stumble, and fall, and push You away, but You are always there to hold me close.

Recently, Jesus, I had my blinders on again. I couldn't see You, and I started to grow frustrated because I couldn't see You. I was exhausted physically, and tired of a complacency that I couldn't seem to shake. I cried out to You, but I received no answer.

Jesus, You've opened my eyes again. Gratitude and thankfulness are what draw me close to Your heart. When You seem so far away, crying out for help doesn't bring help. It's thankfulness that reminds me of how close You really are. This letter to You serves as proof; for I am closer to You now than before. Jesus, thank You for finding me and changing my life. For blessing me from the abundance of Your heart with a loving family, a beautiful community, and plenty of what I need, and much of what I could want.

Jesus, help me to give to others out of the abundance You've given me. Let my time not go to waste, but to be used to glorify You. But most of all Jesus, grow me in Your likeness. Let me learn to live it like You did. Let those who look at me see You, for You are the God of our salvation.

Your grateful servant,
     -David Fletcher