Surprise of Grace

 

It was a great ball game at the park in St. Louis, but the moon stole the show for a while. As it rose above the stadium, it was the center of attention. It was interesting to watch as those around me, one by one, took out their cameras and tried to capture something of this breathtaking sight. It was, for a moment, as if we had all come to the stadium for this moment. The ball game was incidental.

Sometimes the best moments of life are the surprises along the way. With all our plans, sometimes it is the unplanned moment that takes our breath away and touches our hearts. Sometimes it is the unexpected that makes everything else more meaningful. We just need to have our eyes open and be willing to pause for a moment to take these gifts into our lives.

Whether it is the surprising sight of a burning bush, of water turned into wine or of a miraculous catch of fish after a long night of no luck, the scriptures are full of surprises that changed people’s lives. God is always doing surprising things. What can be more surprising than to be loved unconditionally? What can be more surprising than grace?

Paul writes, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” But there he was, transformed by the surprising grace of God. May we embrace the surprise of grace each day in our own lives and let it continue to change us.

Peace.