There's so much grace...

Two nights ago my friend drove me out to a piece of land purchased by Outpour Movement that will be used for a future ministry site.  The drive out there was beautiful with the mountains as a backdrop to one side, the sun setting, and some scattered rice fields lining the dirt road we traveled on.  Peace settled in thick as we reached the top of the hill, everything was so calm.  Leaves crunched beneath our feet as we walked past a small "temple of prayer" to overlook the city.  And then, silence.  But it was the loudest silence I've ever heard.

Standing there overlooking Mae Sot, the sun beginning to fall below the clouds, I didn't even want to take a breath.  The beauty of that place was overwhelming.  The city lights of Mae Sot were slowly beginning to flicker on.  Breathtaking.

And in that moment of silence, Jesus whispered, "There's so much grace."

Thailand is a beautiful place.  I mean, I'm "suffering" through 80-90 degree weather daily.  There's green and mountains all around me.  I get to ride my bicycle through the bustling streets dodging car doors, motorbikes with drivers who never look, and gangs of street dogs.  There's rich history and ancient culture here.  Each day is a new adventure, certainly uncertain.

And yet, as I ride my bicycle to and from the shop each morning, as I walk the streets past shops and temples, as I look at the faces I pass by, there's a heaviness settling over this place.  A county in mourning for the passing of their King, uncertainty has covered this place like a thick blanket.  Fear, doubt, and apprehension linger around every corner.  The atmosphere has changed and we have felt it.  Still, Jesus whispers, "There's so much grace."

On my ride in this morning, the whisper of Jesus was loud in my ears, "There's so much grace, Kristy, so much grace."  With headphones in, I put that very song on repeat by Jonathan David & Melissa Helser.  The words spoke deeply to my spirit...

There's so much grace.
There's so much grace.
There's so much grace.
There's so much grace.

Every morning I bike past several temples.  Shrines and altars are a normal part of the scenery.  Dressed in burnt orange and walking solemnly, I daily pass by several groups of monks.  Incense, ringing gongs, intricately designed rooftops, golden statues and every so often a distant "call to prayer" - some days it's hard to take it all in.  And yet, there's so much grace.

There's so much grace my heart is overwhelmed by it.  There may be confusion and a collision of religions happening around me.  There may be fear and apprehension as a nation mourns and questions.  There may be hunger, rejection, poverty, and great need around every street corner.  There may be situations that look hopeless and needs that are greater than I know what to do with, but, there's so much grace. 

I needed that reminder as I looked out over that epic city view a few nights ago.  I needed that reminder as I rode my bicycle in to work today.  It was all I could whisper under my breath as I rode.  With every face I saw, "Jesus, grace".  With every temple I passed, "Jesus, grace".  It's only been 3 months here, yet this place is home and my heart breaks for it.  I long to see Jesus' grace cover this place, these beautiful people, this ministry, all of it.

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (Romans 8:14-15).

 I long to see a nation crying out "Abba, Father" knowing who and whose they are, awed by the overwhelming grace of the Father who calls them His own.  It's why I get out of bed in the morning.  It's why I ride my bicycle dodging every manor of obstacle to get to work.  It's why I clean floors, sand tables, break bike chain, stain wood.  It's the root of why I'm here - not just in Thailand.  I need reminders of the grace Jesus has given to me.  I need to be reminded of "...how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that (I) may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18b-19).

His grace... there's so much of it.

His grace covered an angry mob seeking to crucify Him.  His grace covered a nation who constantly "forgot" about the faithfulness of the Lord: parting seas, protecting from plagues, raining down food from the sky and making water come out of a rock.  His grace covers a nation who mourns and transitions into something unknown.  His grace covers people kneeling at empty altars and hollow statues.  His grace covers those who've never heard His Name.  His grace covers those who've heard His Name all their lives.  His grace covers those who are hurting and broken as much as it covers those who are restored and transformed by the Father.  There's so much grace.

I don't understand His grace, it doesn't make sense.  But I'm so grateful for it.  I'm not worthy of His grace, I've done nothing to earn it.  But I can't live without it.  And His gift of grace to me is what I pray drives me to continue giving grace to others, praying grace over others, sharing the grace of God with those who've yet to be freed by it.  My prayer is that the places I go and the things I do will always leave a trail of grace leading others straight to the Father.