Resilient in 2021: Grace – April 25, 2021

Rev. John Shaver

Sunday, April 25, 2021 at 9:30am
Livestream Worship

My Post (8)

Dear SDUMC Family,

I hope this finds you having a blessed Saturday!

Throughout this Eastertide season, we are discussing God’s gifts that help us stay resilient (or to maintain equanimity, as Rev. Faith shared recently) in a year that has shaken us all. As I’ve thought about the last year, one of the great gifts that has given me the spiritual fuel to keep going is grace. Of course, the grace given by God and the grace that many of you have shared on this uncertain journey.

Recently, on a day that was not going quite the way I had hoped and feeling a bit caught up in the frustrations of the COVID-19 world, I begrudgingly put on the running shoes and headed out of the office for a sanity run. As I started the run (that wasn’t going great either), I turned on a podcast and heard the speaker sharing thoughts on grace. I can’t remember his name, but I quickly jotted down his thoughts when I got back to the office.

The speaker shared something like this… Grace means that God is pursuing you. Grace means that God forgives you. When you are apathetic toward God, God is never apathetic toward you. When you don’t desire to pray and talk to God, God never grows tired of talking to you. When you forget to read your Bible and listen to God, God is always listening to you. Grace means that your spirituality is upheld by God’s stubborn enjoyment of you. As it often happens, the run, God’s creation, and the reminder of God’s grace quickly changed my outlook that afternoon and for the journey ahead.

I hope you’ll join me this Sunday for Outside Worship at 9:30 a.m. (livestream too) or 10:45 a.m. I’m looking forward to enjoying some special music this week from several musicians, both in-person and virtual. Invite a friend to join you and receive the gift of grace that we all need to continue for the days to come.

Grace, Peace, and Weekend Blessings,

John

PS Tune in during the service to hear our plans for worship in the coming months.

Leave a Comment