On Sunday, I got a great glimpse of what "a table of grace" might look like. It was not highly formal nor was it steeped in ritual. It was a place of love and genuine concern where needs were being met.
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After Sunday morning worship services, Steve and I were taking our daughter, Crystal, and her friend Shane out to Don Pablo's for lunch. We invited Brenda and her 3 little ones and Brian and Mandy that their 2 little ones to join us.
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I'm so thankful for our military families! Our friends, Matt and Brenda, have been visiting while on their vacation. Matt ran in the NYC marathon and then returned to his military duty, while Brenda extended her stay with her 3 wee ones.
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I'm so thankful for military wives, who must "hold down the fort" while the husband is away at another fort. Brenda's task has another twist to it, because in February she gave birth to twins to add to her one year old.
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This mommy literally has her hands full!
As we all sat together, enjoying our food and the company of each other, I thought of several things:
- mutual love and understanding made for a pleasant experience - in spite of there being 5 pre-schoolers with many needs at the table.
- this scene brought our Sunday morning adult Bible class theme of "one another verses" to life.
- there was much there that was a visual of our Wednesday night study of Romans:
- this month's scripture memory made me smile as I listened to Brenda talk about how really hard some days are (suffering).... and how she has to set her mind to put one foot in front of the other (perseverance)... and how much she is learning from these experiences (character)... and how everyone tells her it will get better after the twins turn a year old (hope).... S.M.I.L.E.
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The book of Romans uses the word GRACE 21 times as it paints a picture of our loving God and His family. It paints a picture of the TABLE OF GRACE:
- 1:5-6 Through Him and for His name's sake, we received GRACE and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith
- 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
GRACE and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. - 3:22-24 There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His GRACE through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
- 4:16 ...the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by GRACE and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.
- 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this GRACE in which we now stand.
- 5:15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's GRACE and the gift that came by the GRACE of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
- 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of GRACE and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
- 5:20-21 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, GRACE increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also GRACE might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- 6:1-2 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that GRACE may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
- 6:14-16 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under GRACE. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under GRACE? By no means!
- 11:5-6 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by GRACE. 6 And if by GRACE, then it is no longer by works; if it were, GRACE would no longer be GRACE.
- 12:3 For by the GRACE given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
- 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the GRACE given us.
- 15:15-16 I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the GRACE God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
- 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The GRACE of our Lord Jesus be with you.
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