It was a Sunday morning, and I was not at church. With sickness lingering around, I decided to stay home.
I’d leisurely gotten up and read more of “Becoming Elisabeth Elliot” until the sermon from my church began streaming. Then, given the beautiful Florida “winter weather,” I grabbed a few things and began my 15-minute drive to the beach.
Although I didn’t feel sick, I felt run down. However, since our bodies are one entity with multiple systems, I wasn’t sure if my physical body or my emotions felt flat.
In the past several months, including the past week, there has been a lot more to navigate in my relationships. Miscommunications occur, and differing points of view cause rifts and hurt feelings —even though it’s not intentional.
I was grateful that the book study I was going through this past week covered love and obedience. In the chapter, it highlights when Jesus tells his disciples to wait on the mountain for Him (John 21). Peter gets tired of waiting and decides to go fishing. In that instant, he’s trying to make things happen on his own. He fishes all night and catches nothing.
Peter was a skilled fisherman. He knew those seas like the back of his hand, yet the Lord allowed him to be blocked in his efforts. Jesus arrives on the sea and says to cast his nets on the other side. Obeying, Peter and the other disciples retrieve an inordinate number of fish.
It dawns on Peter that this was the Lord who spoke to him. Immediately, he strips off his outer clothes and swims to shore. Where Jesus, whom Peter just disobeyed by not waiting, offers Peter breakfast.
Thinking about this, I am speechless. The humility and kindness of Jesus is unbelievable.
So, back to my Sunday adventure, I was circling the parking areas to find parking to make my little trek to the beach. I passed a street that I had driven past, likely a dozen or more times, but I noticed the name — Grace Dr.
The sign next to it read, “Dead End.” I realized that is exactly what Grace is: a beautiful dead end. All our mistakes, our shortcomings, our struggle against sin, the wrong ways we’ve handled situations, the quick words we may have fired, or the hurts that we have endured are delivered to Grace Drive and, under the cross, meet a dead end. They are covered for me; they are covered for you.
I am so grateful for Jesus’ example. I don’t want to imagine life without Him. I know He is the essence of all life, but I think you know what I mean. He is my greatest teacher, and He is always teaching me and showing me such incredible patience.
Listen: Call it Grace
