PERFORMANCE // GRACE

Growing up, I loved to preform. I thrived on stage; my favourite thing to do was entertain audiences through singing, acting, telling stories, and enthusiastic speaking—I loved it! (And I secretly still do.)

I was reminiscing this past week about the many musical theatre competitions I PARTICIPATED in—the fluffy dresses, overdone make-up, long hours of practice, and the fun musical scores.

Then I thought of the very first time I was on stage.

My first time on stage, I hadn’t practiced. I wasn’t rehearsed or prepared. I had done nothing. I didn’t put on my make-up, I didn’t ensure my outfit was pristine. In fact, I wasn’t even able to dress myself. My first appearance on stage was ONE that I did nothing to “be ready” for.

It was the day my parents dedicated me to God as a baby in front of our church family.

Thinking about that momentous day, I realize it was a total GIFT of grace. I was carried up to the front, unable to dress myself, prepare myself, or rehearse. I had no ability to get myself ready for that moment. But my parents did for me what I couldn’t do.

Sometimes we feel as though we have to wait until we are all prepared, pristine, rehearsed and ready before we come to God.

Sometimes our friends who are not yet believers think that before they could even consider OPENING themselves up to the idea of a relationship with God, they would have to do a whole lot of cleaning up first.

But our relationship with God is not about something that we do or something we have done to make God love us or forgive us.

That’s not how it works.

Christianity is about something that was done for us, when we couldn’t do anything.

It’s something given to us daily as we CONTINUE to not measure up.

Grace.

We will never reach a place of sufficient behaviour modification to deserve it.

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT

We can’t prepare for it.

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. Romans 5:6-7 NLT

God put His love on the line for us. He gave His only Son for us when we didn’t deserve anything, while we were of no use whatever to Him—because He wanted a relationship with us. Because He loved us so much.

Grace.

It’s not what you’ve done. It’s not about your performance.

It’s what Christ did for you. It’s about His performance.

–Ashley