3. Grace

The topic of "grace" seems to cause quite a stir these days.  The prevailing question seems to be, "Does grace run out?"  Here's a few things that I think we should remember about grace.

1. Grace comes from God.

We are not the inventors of grace, therefore we cannot control where grace is applied.  It's a gift that we receive from God.  God is the ultimate and sole executor of grace.  A person can't take it from you.  Conversely, there's nothing you can do to keep it if it's gone.  That control is God's and God's alone.

2. Grace is a gift.

Grace is given to us by God.  We cannot afford grace.  God knows this.  That's why He gives it to us freely.  We can't earn and do not deserve it.  It's not merit-based.  It's simply a gift from God.

3. Grace is different than mercy.

While grace deals with favor given to us because we need it for everyday life and assignments, mercy is the absence of final judgment when we do wrong.  Grace is an addition on top of the everyday mercies that we receive.  Mercy says "don't punish him according to his wrong", but grace says "treat him like he never did the wrong".

4. Grace is sufficient.

We're imperfect.  We fall short.  God's grace never does.  His grace can reach where you can't and can do what you can't.  Do your best, but know that God's grace follows you along with His mercy everyday of your life.

Why are we so caught up in trying to earn God's grace?  Why do we sometimes try to revoke grace from those who we deem unworthy?  Taking grace from another won't give you any extra.  These activities are pointless.  The best thing we can do with our gift of grace is to simply receive it.

Grace is not a pass.  Grace is not a medal.  Grace is just grace...and without it we would all fall flat on our faces.

1. Nerves

...my nerves are still a factor, even after all these years.

January was my first month, officially, as the director of the Alfred Owens Chorale (AAOC). I've sang with them for 15 years, and been their unofficial (and then official) assistant director for the majority of those years.  However, last month was the first time that I was solely or mainly responsible, in total, for what was presented by this group of singers who have been my musical peers since I joined the church.

As assistant director, there were Sundays that I was trusted with the choir in the director's absence.  This however, is not the same as being the person most responsible for the choir's growth (spiritual and musical), consistency, and most immediately, their performance on the 3rd Sunday in January at the 10:45 service.  I was plain, down right, NERVOUS.  I even told a couple of friends that I was nervous to which they replied, "Why?".  I hadn't experienced this feeling to this degree in a very long time.  The feeling that I was "on trial" or being "observed" prevailed...and (in my opinion) it showed in my work.

When I first stood in front of a choir at my church (about 14 years ago this month), I remember the same feeling.  After becoming the director of a choir at my church that I was instrumental in creating, I felt that feeling every single Sunday that I stood in front of them for the first several months.  Some 10 years later, I had forgotten what that felt like. The question is from these past instances and the most recent one: was my feeling justifiable, or was it all in my mind?

At the end of the day, I learned that I'm still human.  This last week, for me, was better than last 3rd Sunday, and I definitely believe that next 3rd Sunday will be even better than this one.

Your humanity can't be stopped, but it also can't stop you.  Make your humanity one of your key motivators.