I had decided to choose “intentional” as my topic for this challenge because it is the word God laid on my heart for 2015 via the One Word 365 challenge. But on Thursday morning, God changed the topic to grace. I didn’t know why at the time and I may not even completely understand by the end of October but I will take any confirmation He gives me.
That first confirmation came on Friday. I was able to attend the Extraordinary Women’s Conference this weekend in Roanoke. There’s something about being in a coliseum with 10,000 women all there to praise, worship and learn. To hear all these women singing praise & worship songs together brings me joy.
I bought my ticket in February and really hadn’t given much thought to who the speakers were. I knew Angie Smith would be there but I didn’t check the schedule until I looked at the program Friday night. It wasn’t until after the first three worship songs, which were all about grace, did I realize that the theme of this weekend was “Amazing Grace.” All of the speakers touched on grace but Angie Smith’s talk really struck a chord. She taught on Acts 3:1-10 about the lame beggar who sat at the gate Beautiful everyday begging for alms. Peter and John pass him one day and he asks them for alms. Peter tells him that he doesn’t have alms but that he can give him healing through Jesus Christ and the beggar is healed.
She shared how we ask the Lord to get us through the circumstances or outcomes of whatever holds us in chains, but we don’t ask Him to deliver us from the bondage. She used the example of her fear of flying. She said she prays on take off that God will just get the plane above the clouds. And on landing, she prays that God will just get the plane below the clouds when she should be praying that God will deliver her from the fear she holds onto.
God showed us how much grace He has for us by sending His Son to die on a cross for our sins. He has delivered us from the pits of hell if we choose to believe and follow Jesus. There is nothing He can’t deliver us from if we choose to believe.
In her words, grace makes no sense…we don’t deserve it but oh to have the faith to know that God, our Father can deliver us from anything if only we ask.
And just because she’s so stinking cute I will share this…
