God’s gift . . .
Grace Has Brought Me Safe Thus Far
How does Christ accept us? . . . Just as we are . . . Even when we stumble, we are given innumerable fresh starts, chances to be born again—and again—and again—into an awareness of God’s love . . . Sometimes we hesitate to “come as we are” . . . We think we’re not suitable or acceptable to come have a relationship with Christ . . . We want to “dress up” first, get rid of bad habits, make restitution, or do something else before we can be with Him . . . but that is not necessary.
We can’t save ourselves . . . God does not ask us to . . . All He asks, if you are not saved, is that you let Him do it . . . Just confess your need of salvation and repent of your sins, and then trust in His saving power . . . Don’t worry about your bad habits or misdeeds . . . He will help you solve those problems later . . . and it will be easier than you expect, because you will be a new person in Christ once you are saved.
Psalm 121 (The Voice) is known as “A song of ascents” or “A song for those journeying to worship” and speaks of God traveling those journeys with us, watching over us . . . read this slowly and picture Christ walking by your side as God watches over you.
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth . . .
I look up at the vast size of the mountains—
where will my help come from in times of trouble?
The Creator of heaven and earth will send the help I need . . .
The help that comes to those who love God is higher than the hills.
It comes from the Lord Himself.”
“The Lord Himself is the always awake and a watchful keeper of His people . . .
He never goes off duty at any time . . . He will not let your foot slip . . .
God holds you firmly in place; He will not let you fall.
He will never take His eyes off you and never drift off to sleep . . .
The Lord watches over you [and me],
He keeps you safe, so close to Him that His shadow is a cooling shade to you . . .
Neither bright light of sun nor dim light of moon will harm you.”
“The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
will keep you safe from all of life’s evils,
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore . . .
From your first breath to the last breath you breathe, from this day and forever.”
In our journey through life, God is watching over us . . . This is what God does . . . He guards and protects us . . . We live in His grace . . . He promises to take care of us . . . God is watching us—but it's not from a distance . . . He's right here with us . . . He's not observing you through a telescope as you face the uncertainties of life . . . He's right here with you . . . He's not viewing you through a satellite when you're going through the fiery trials of life . . . He's with you and me, offering us shade from the sun and relief from the heat . . . He's not watching you from a remote heaven as you face the darkest hours of your life . . . He's right here with you, and even the darkest hour cannot hurt you.
As we go through the day-to-day routines of life, God is watching over us . . . He wants to be our source of help, our source of strength . . . And He will be, if we turn to Him . . . It's called "Amazing Grace" because God, in His infinite goodness, treats us far better than we deserve . . . And, in His infinite goodness, He takes care of us when we can't take care of ourselves—when life is uncertain, when the heat is on, in our darkest hours . . . He's here.
INSIGHT . . .
Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come:
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
We can all identify with this verse of “Amazing Grace” . . . We’ve all come “through many dangers, toils, and snares” in our journey through life . . . We didn’t do it on our own . . . it is God’s grace that has brought us safely this far . . . and we trust that God will continue to guide us . . . Like the disciples in the Gospel struggling against a heavy sea in the boat being reassured by Jesus calming the storm (Matt 14:22-33), we all need the reassurance and help of Jesus to calm the storms in our lives . . . Like Peter sinking, sometimes we need the Lord to stretch out His hand and save us too (Matt 14:30-31).
When a trial comes, sometimes we’re tempted to say, “God doesn’t care about me,” or to dwell on negative thoughts . . . But God doesn’t cause our suffering, and He is always faithful and never abandons us . . . A lot of suffering is caused by the cruelty and inhumanity of humans to humans . . . Much of the suffering we and others experience could be avoided if everybody took the Gospel to heart . . . But since they don’t, we have to face storms like the disciples in the boat . . . But Jesus’s catching Peter by the hand is His way of reminding us that He is there for everyone . . . there to catch us by the hand and take us to safety . . . Can you imagine Jesus catching you by the hand and pulling you up to safety? . . . That’s an amazing and reassuring picture to keep in your heart and soul.
"Grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home" . . . simple words until you weave them together . . . Grace . . . Not some vague abstraction . . . Instead, God’s ceaseless presence in your life and mine . . . The verse reveals God's protection through past trials, dangers, and hardships . . . and expresses faith and trust in God’s divine guidance for the future . . . your future and mine.
Divine grace is God acting in our life
to accomplish what we cannot do on our own.
(Dallas Willard )
Grace is God acting generously and powerfully, to do so much for us that we can never do ourselves . . . Think of it this way—grace is that energy source from God that helps us get out of bed in the morning, to speak a kind word to a stranger, to persevere in a difficult situation, to face a fear, or to offer compassion to someone who has criticized us.
We need to be truly mindful and grateful for God’s past mercies . . . and be determinedly hopeful because of His future promises . . . Look back to Christ’s historical resurrection and look forward to God “bringing us home.”
“Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name, you are mine.
Should you pass through the sea, I will be with you;
or through rivers, they will not swallow you up.
Should you walk through fire, you will not be scorched
and the flames will not burn you.”
Isaiah 43:1-2
We may not be able to force change on our own, but knowing God is with us and for us gives us the mental, emotional, and spiritual strength to take another step, another day, every day . . . And when God decides to move in His timing, He will accomplish more than we could ever dream . . . Amazing Grace!
INVITATION—TO SPEND TIME & TALK WITH GOD . . .
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
~~~~~
“Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead me and guide me.”
Psalm 31:3
God’s grace is received through your faith in Christ—a core hope and trust in things unseen . . . Faithfulness is believing in that divine hope, and living life built upon the foundation that is Christ . . . What do you build your hope upon? . . . Is it difficult or easy to believe in the unseen? . . . Why?
Start with ~ Breathe Deeply
Slow down a moment and contemplate . . . Anything built upon a solid foundation has a much better chance of survival than something built upon shaky ground . . . your life is no different.
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2
~~~~~
“What matters is that you come to Me,
hear My words, and actually live by them.
If you do that, you’ll be like the man who wanted to build a sturdy house.
He dug down deep and anchored his foundation to solid rock.”
Luke 6:47-48a
Ponder . . . what you are building and anchoring the foundation of your life upon . . . What do you believe in? . . . Do you trust that that foundational material is something that will be steady and firm no matter what?
Clarify in your mind . . . what it means to you to know that God is your refuge, your shield, your protector . . . If you put your trust in Christ, you are never alone and your life’s journey will be on solid ground.
Search out and write down . . . Find scriptures that help affirm God’s presence in your life and that give you support in your faith
. . . Carry them with you as affirmation of God’s love.
Remind yourself . . . to trust God as you seek to place your heart and feet on the solid ground of Christ.
Imagine . . . a pile of river rocks, or bricks, or stones . . . Each is unique and beautiful in its own way—different colorings, shapes, and sizes . . . When you add strong, binding mortar, these rocks become a solid foundation for whatever you are building and creating . . . Now picture God’s grace—the binding mortar—blending with your understanding, beliefs, faith, and trust, then combining with Christ, your Rock . . . This provides the indestructible, attainable foundation of your life.
Reflect . . . on what it means to you to know that your “house” is built on solid ground, that the foundation is strong, and can withstand the rain, wind, and storms of life . . . Breathe deeply in, then out . . . relax your shoulders and close your eyes . . . Feel the peace that comes with Christ’s arms around you, protecting you . . . This is your Rock—your firm foundation.
Take this image with you . . . When you feel like life is becoming shaky and unstable, look at the road, sidewalk, or path you are traveling . . . Find a stone, rock, or pebble and pick it up . . . Hold tight and ask God to remind you who your Rock is, and what ties your life with Him . . . Let God help stabilize your heart, mind, and soul right now, where you are standing, and it’s okay to tuck that rock or stone into your pocket.
Going Deeper ~ Who You Are
Focus on taking an honest look at yourself . . . identifying who you are . . . Are you the person you think you are, and is this the person you truly desire to be?
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12
~~~~~
“Because of all that God has done, we now have a new perspective.
We used to show regard for people based on worldly standards and interests.
No longer. We used to think of the Anointed the same way. No longer.
Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation.
The old life is gone—and see—a new life has begun!”
2 Corinthians 5:16-17
Write down . . . words you would use to describe yourself—your actions, behaviors, emotions—What defines you as you?
Do you realize . . . you are a unique creation of God? . . . He has designed you with unique, individual qualities—a one-of-a-kind you . . . You are a special, distinct, and exceptional gift of God to the world . . . Do you believe this?
Pray and take note . . . and ask God what He sees in you that you don’t see in yourself . . . You are His child and He is your Father
. . . God loves you unconditionally . . . Listen to the Holy Spirit’s whispers . . . Listen to the pulling of your heart.
Ask yourself now . . . What words, what phrases, would you use to describe yourself through God’s eyes? . . . This is WHOSE you are, and WHO you are in His eyes!
Imagine . . . how you are different from other people around you . . . Consider your hands next to your mother’s or father’s, a child’s, your best friend’s . . . Compare the palms, length of your fingers, your fingernails . . . Every tiny detail is different . . . People’s eyes are different colors and shapes, the tone of voices differ, hair and height . . . all different on the outside, yet all created by God . . . And on the inside—emotions, thoughts, and more—the differences are even greater . . . You are God’s creation and He has hopes, plans, and prayers for you . . . Accept that.
Reflect . . . on your God-created uniqueness . . . Look at yourself in a mirror, from various angles . . . Breathe in and out slowly, and relax . . . As you relax, does your expression change? . . . Do your eyes reflect His Light? . . . Be aware of your pulse—your heartbeat . . . This is the blood of life flowing through your body . . . What you see and sense about yourself is LIFE!! . . . You are a part of God’s world and you are His creation . . . Can you appreciate that in yourself?
Take this image with you . . . You will always be growing, changing, maturing, slipping back to being a child, and moving forward again . . . When you feel unsure of who you are, think about WHOSE you are . . . Listen to your heartbeat and the sound of your own breathing . . . Remember that with each breath you take, God is right here with you.
ILLUMINATION . . .
Pause for a moment and think about the most precious gift you ever received . . . Why was it so special? . . . Why do you still remember it? . . . Is it the gift itself, or the person who gifted it—the precious time spent thinking about you picking out that gift?
The greatest gift you can give someone is your presence.
(Thich Nhat Hanh)
A father’s story . . . Just the other day, I was on my hands and knees with my 9-year-old playing Lego. We were both building a spacecraft for a good while. As we sat there Isaac starts saying to me, “Hello, are you there?” Of course I was. We were sitting no more than a couple of feet from one another. “But Daddy I’ve been talking to you about the Ninja Turtles for twenty minutes and you’re not listening”. He was right, I was present, but I wasn’t present . . . I was present yet absent at the same time.
This has happened to all of us, unfortunately . . . Do we treat God the same way? . . . Are we choosing to be absent or present with God?
Truthfully, God is already present . . . He’s available . . . He wants us to rest, be held, meet, recover, recharge, hear, and become aware of Him . . . God desires us to experience His presence, His protection, His power, His provision and His peace with Him, HERE and NOW . . . He can’t reach us if we’re occupied someplace else
God is always gifting us His presence . . . Are we offering Him ours?
Sometimes we can’t sense God’s presence because there is too much of everything else going on . . . too much noise, too much traffic, too much confusion, too many thoughts running rampant in our minds, too much anxiety, too much worry . . . So, for a few moments stop and choose to be present with God . . . Be still and focus your mind on Him and start to breathe deeply.
Breathe Deeply.
Exhale the distracting thoughts . . . Inhale a desire to sense His presence.
Exhale your pre-occupation with yourself . . . Inhale a desire to know God more completely.
Exhale the worries of the moment . . . Inhale His peace.
“Be still and know that I am God.”
Psalm 46:10
INSPIRATION—PRAYING THROUGH MUSIC . . .
Where words fail, music speaks.
(Hans Christian Andersen)
I encourage you to take time to listen to any or all the songs below . . . there is no right or wrong style of music—it is what speaks to you . . . listen to the melody and the lyrics and feel the response of your heart to what God wants you to hear . . . and I do understand that music doesn’t speak to everyone . . . and that is okay too.
♪♬♪ Current . . . This is Amazing Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwXyLZaYsYo&list=RDzwXyLZaYsYo&start_radio=1
♪♬♪ Praise & Worship . . . Your Grace is Enough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55A6sgwGSY4&list=RD55A6sgwGSY4&start_radio=1
♪♬♪ Traditional . . . Amazing Grace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQBrNGUH6xg&list=RDXQBrNGUH6xg&start_radio=1
INTO EACH DAY AHEAD . . .
The Bible is filled with promises that remind us God never abandons His children during difficult seasons . . . even strong people grow tired, but God’s grace never does . . . When we wait on Him, He renews our strength for whatever lies ahead.
When challenges arise, it’s easy to lean on our own wisdom, emotions, or abilities, but that approach usually leaves us exhausted and discouraged . . . God invites us into something much better . . . Instead of carrying every burden ourselves, we can humble our hearts and trust the One who created us . . . As we surrender our fears to Him, we exchange anxiety for His peace . . . We stop depending on our own limited strength and begin relying on His unlimited grace.
Saving grace is God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ . . . Jesus accomplished what we never could by dying for our sins so we could receive forgiveness and eternal life.
Sustaining grace is God’s continual help throughout our walk with Him . . . It’s His strength when we feel weak, His peace when anxiety tries to overwhelm us, and His faithfulness when circumstances don’t make sense . . . Sustaining grace is God’s ongoing strength, help, and presence that carries us through life’s victories, disappointments, hardships, and seasons of waiting . . . It’s the grace that reminds us we don’t have to face life’s challenges alone . . . Salvation begins the relationship with our Lord . . . Sustaining grace strengthens us every step of the journey.
Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come:
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.
Heavenly Father,
Help us remember that Your sustaining grace is still working,
even when we can’t yet see the outcome, even during the waiting seasons of our lives.
We choose to trust You through uncertainty, as our faith grows stronger,
as our hope becomes steadier, and as our confidence shifts from our own abilities to Your faithfulness.
Thank You for Your amazing, sustaining grace. In Jesus' name—AMEN
“A Journey Through Amazing Grace” © 2020 by Debra L. Parcel
“Amazing Grace” is a Public Domain Christian hymn published in 1779, with words
written in 1772 by English poet and Anglican clergyman John Newton (1725–1807)
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Prayer Paths (written by Dr. Debbie Parcel)
is a weekly email letter designed to “fuel”
your active prayer life, help you stay engaged in
focused prayer, and encourage a
growing relationship with our Triune God.
To receive Prayer Paths by email each week—send a request,
with your name and email,
to BarnabasRoad2025@gmail.com
(Prayer Paths is offered through Barnabas Road Ministries)