Merge Worship

This past weekend one of our elders, Mike Hartsfield, was teaching about Jonah. He talked about responses to grace. What stood out to me was the sailors response to grace. These were pagan sailors who cast lots to “see which of them had offended the gods“. (Jonah 1:7-emphasis added) The sailors were confronted with God’s grace when God stopped the storm after they threw Jonah overboard. They cried out in prayer to God to spare their lives and He responded by silencing the seas. Their immediate response was “awestruck by the Lord’s great power, they offered Him a sacrifice and vowed to serve Him”.(Jonah 1:16)

These guys were truly awestruck by God’s power and grace. He was fresh and new. The fact that He would care enough to save them was an overwhelming thought. They had to sacrifice to Him on the spot.Their ship had not been destroyed! Their lives were saved!

Do you remember that day? The day that your life was changed? The day you were saved? I’m afraid the I’m guilty of becoming too familiar with grace. Somehow losing the awestruck wonder that God would come down to die for me. That Jesus loved me (and you) enough to give His all for me. It’s easy to forget sometimes what condition my ship was in when He found me and where my life would be without Him. I believe we’d all do well to “remember His kindness” (Psalms 42:6) and reflect on the truth that He “rescued me from death; You have kept my feet from slipping.” (Psalms 56:13a)

Grace should never stop being amazing. What ways to you remind yourself to be amazed by His grace in your life and keep your amazement fresh?