Chapter 4 “You Can Rest Now”

Lucado starts this chapter by comparing us today to the Israelites in Egypt. He says they are our ancient counterparts; they were a burdened, tired people. They were “bare-backed, stoop-shouldered, brick-stacking Hebrew slaves of Egypt.” They were struck with whips and shouted at by commands.

But God stepped in, sent Moses to lead them out, opened the Red Sea, and the closed it on Pharaoh and his army who was after the Israelites. “It was as if all of heaven shouted, “You can rest now!”

But even then, The Israelites complained, and wanted to go back to Egypt. Wait, What?!

Then He speaks about the Christians in the New Testament. Jesus had died on the cross and raised for the dead, taking our sins away and allowing us to follow Him.  But the Gentiles wanted to live by grace and works. Jesus wasn’t enough, you need to do works as well, He started the job, we need to finish it. HUH?!

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

Translation: God saved you! not because of your actions, not because you’re “better” than others, not because you do the most “good.”He saved you by grace, by Jesus dying for you! Jeez, I saw this and it just got me thinking how many people are judgemental toward others, how they want to be better. They’re wrong. You’re no better than the next. You deserved the cross; all your actions are disgusting in front of God. There is no “good.” Because God is good, the only good, and we can never be God. That’s why we are saved by grace, not “good” works. It’s a gift, so take it and live by it!

Lucado speaks about the Chilean miners. They were trapped beneath two thousand feet of solid rock. For two months they survived off of two spoonfuls of tuna, a sip of milk, and a mouthful of peaches each day, all thirty three men. And they all prayed for someone to save them.

“Your hearts should be strengthened by God’s grace, not by obeying rules.”

Hebrews 13:9

None of them said they can get out on their own, it was obvious they couldn’t right? It’s the same with us. We can’t have self-salvation. We can’t be saved by obeying rules and doing “good” works. Jesus died and put death to the law keeping. And rose from the dead, as we are rebuilt, by Jesus. We then need to live by the grace God has given as a gift, by Jesus. We follow Jesus! There’s no added good works that will get you into heaven, just your heart and soul following Jesus. Just knowing God.

God’s grace is endless along with His love. Just embrace it and share it. You’ll never have to earn it.

Chapter 5 “Wet Feet”

This chapter started with the story of a woman who was driving to her home in Long Island, New York from her niece’s recital. A silver Nissan approached her car and a eighteen year old boy leaning out the window was holding, of all things, a frozen turkey and threw it at her windshield.

It crashed through the windshield, bent the steering wheel inward, and shattered her face, leaving her fighting for her life. She survived and recovered from her close to death encounter due to this prank.

In Afghanistan, a troop member received a Dear John letter from his girl back home. For those who don’t know a Dear John letter is basically a letter from home, telling the soldier she’s no longer waiting and wanting to be with him. In the letter, she said,

“Please return my favorite picture of myself because I would like to use that photograph for my engagement picture in the county newspaper.”

I read that and just thought, “Wow, poor guy.” That must be devastating. But, his fellow soldiers had an idea. They collected pictures of all their girlfriends and filled a shoe box, sent it to her, and noted,

“Please find your enclosed picture and return the rest. For the life of me I can’t remember which one you were.”

Haha, that was funny, but spiteful. Lucado then speaks about the night before Jesus’s death. How on that night, Jesus got up, filled a basin with water, and washed the disciple’s feet.

Huh?! Jesus washed feet? In those days, to untie a sandal strap, to stoop lower than anyone, to wash feet, all was a servants job. This was the lowest people of the day, they were the bottom of the social classes. And here is Jesus, son of God, washing feet. Washing feet of his disciples who have doubted him, used him for personal gain, cursed his very name, sold him down the river for thirty pieces of silver, and all, yes all, would turn away from Jesus, just the next day, when He dies for them, and all of us. Humble and full of grace, Jesus washed feet.

“Since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you,” John 13:14-15

Lucado says, “To accept grace is to accept the vow to give it.

Yes! Grace is a gift given to you by God, not earned. And as you have received grace, you shall give it onto others. Your family, your friends, your girlfriend/ boyfriend, your boss, your ex, and even your enemy.

I used to think when something happened, people deserved it. When my brother got grounded after getting arrested, he deserved it. When my sister got in trouble for coming in late, knowing she was with her friends and guys, she deserved it. When a bully got bullied, he deserved it.

I never thought about what I deserved. I deserved death, along with each and every human being on Earth. I realized even further, I don’t deserve to judge on others. I don’t have that right, only God is to judge! And if God’s giving me grace, washing my feet, and asking me to give others grace, I am going to do it!

On October 2, 2006, Charles Carl Roberts entered the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Pennsylvania. He came with a plethora of weapons and wire and plastic ties. He bound eleven girls, ages six to fifteen. He shot ten young girls and then killed himself. Five of the young girls died.

At his funeral, over half of the people who attended was Amish. A midwife, who berthed most of the young girls, made plans to take food to his family’s house. She said,

“This is possible if you have Christ in your heart.”

Wow, I thought this was so powerful. Lucado says,

“Grace is not blind. It sees the hurt full well. But grace chooses to see God’s forgiveness even more. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:15”

The woman who was driving home, was there when the young man was trialed. The judge sentenced him to only six months behind bars, five year’s probation, some counseling, and public service. The courtroom erupted. Except for the woman. It was her idea to reduce his sentencing. She then embraced the young man, as he was crying in the courtroom with everyone there, and said,

“I forgive you. I want your life to be the best it can be.”

“God gave me a second chance at life, and I passed it on. If I hadn’t let go of that anger, I’d be consumed by this need for revenge. Forgiving him helps me move on.”

They forgave them, but they didn’t need to. That’s God’s job. Your’s is to give grace, as you have been given. How powerful is that? I was really touched by this, and I want to share grace with others, because I have been given grace. Because God forgave me, and gave me the gift of grace; because I can live my life alone; because I want to follow Jesus.

Chapter 6 “Grace on the Fringe”

In chapter 6, Lucado starts with the story of Naomi and Ruth, two widows walking through the Judean desert. Naomi’s husband had died, along with her two sons. Ruth was one of the son’s wife. Naomi decided to go back to her hometown of Bethlehem and Ruth decided to go with. They had nothing; no money, no possessions. And most importantly, no husbands or children, which for a women in twelfth century BC is her security.

Jeez, this must be really hard to cope with and ‘man it’. When I read this it reminded me a song called “Don’t Stop The Madness” by Tenth Avenue North. In the 2nd verse, he sings,

“All I hear is what they’re selling me, that God is love he isn’t suffering;

and what you needs a little faith and prosperity.

But oh my God, I know there’s more than this,

if you promise pain it can’t be meaningless,

so make me poor if that’s the price for freedom!”

And he’s singing about people spreading the “prosperity gospel” like Joel Osteen. The “prosperity gospel” is what corrupt speakers say christianity is, saying if you believe in Christ he’ll make you rich or prosper. But that’s not true, God does give you blessings, but they’re not necessarily financial and if you are suffering, it doesn’t mean you are away from God. It might just be what you need, which is why He sang the last two verses.

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

This is saying you must let go of your pride and wantings, and follow Jesus, even through suffering. And that really is powerful, one of my favorite verses in the Bible.

Which made me think of Naomi and Ruth, and how God is with them, even though there suffering.

Lucado also speaks about woman who came forward for prayer during a worship service. She was “pale, thin, face awash with tears, she walked with arms folded, squeezing her chest as if her heart would drop if she didn’t. She had an unkempt look about her:jeans, flip-flops, and unbrushed hair. Recently diagnosed with lupus, she lives in pain. Unpaid bills compelled to take a contract job in Turkey. She and her son have been alone for a year. Her son has gone dark, Gothic. Seldom talks, but when he does, he talks about death and devils. The boy mentioned suicide last week.

Also, he speaks about a man he met in a church foyer. He was a very tall man, who Lucado says had the appearance of an NBA athlete. He went into pharmaceutical sales, and the business has gone down the drain. He’s had twelve months with no income, and will find himself on the unemployment line.

They’re just like Ruth, in hard times.

Ruth went to a nearby field, after they have arrived in Bethlehem, to scavenge enough grain for bread. Boaz, the man who owns the fields Ruth was taking grain from, saw Ruth, and had his heart stolen by her. He invited her for dinner and told his overseer to send her home happy. She left with thirty pounds of grain and a smile on her face.

When Naomi found out, she realized Boaz was one of Naomi’s cousins. She told Ruth to go into where he was lying, and uncover his feet and lie down. WOAH! Too steamy for the Bible huh? Haha. Naomi knew what she was saying. She told her to put on her best clothes, and in this day, since she was a widow, she was telling Ruth to put on clothes worn after mourning. As long as she was wearing black, Boaz would keep his distance, being a respectable man he is.

The law of kinsman-redeemer says if a man died without children, his property was transferred not to his wife but to his brother. The law required the brother of the deceased to marry the childish widow. If the deceased husband had no brother, his nearest male relative was to provide for the widow, but he didn’t necessarily have to marry her. This law kept the property of the family and gave the widow protection and, in some cases, a husband.

Naomi and Ruth’s closest relative was Boaz, there cousin. Knowing Boaz’s fancy for Ruth, He immediately made a meeting of ten city leaders. They actually found a relative closer than Boaz, however he was not willing to take the land and the women. So after this Boaz rushed to the wedding chapel and married Ruth.

I kind of felt like this was the climax to this chapter. Lucado then speaks about Ruth’s story being ours. We are poor, in spirit or in money. We buried something, whether it be dreams, desires, or aspirations. We our out of options like the mother with lupus or the man on the unemployment line. But our Boaz knows this, Lucado says. Jesus makes the first move for us,

“But God demonstrates his own love for us,in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

He speaks about how mercy and grace are different, grace goes beyond mercy. Mercy gave Ruth food, Grace gave her a husband and a home. Mercy pardons us. Grace woos and weds us. Jesus is your kinsman-redeemer. God sees you as a masterpiece about to happen.

He talks about Vik Muniz. He’s an artist. He did a project with Jardim Gramacho, which is the world’s largest landfill. Near Gramacho is the Christ the Redeemer statue and million-dollar apartments on the beach.

Vik convinced five garbage workers to pose for individual portraits. All five had stories of their struggles and lives. He took their portraits, made it the size of a basketball court, and made this with trash from Gramacho. Now it’s the second most popular exhibit in Brazil, only surpassed by Picasso.

Wow! Imagine that? I read that and was pretty amazed. Even looked it up to see it, haha. And I understood, God saw me as a masterpiece about to happen. Lucado said something that, to me, made this chapter,

“Grace is God walking into your world with a sparkle in his eye and an offer that’s hard to resist.”

Even in our troubles, God makes grace appear in all our messes in life, or life of messes. That’s something beautiful to me, no matter how messed up our lives are, God’s send us grace and first takes us as we are and then shapes our lives with Grace, something that is absolutely beautiful.