In my free time I consider myself an activist. I enjoy learning about justice and advocating for people who are oppressed. I enjoy learning and the harms that society has brought on the most vulnerable and thinking of ways to heal those harms. I also am a Christian. I love Jesus, I read my Bible everyday and I’m working on praying more. Everyday I feel like I’m teetering on a line figuring out where the goodness of God is. Some days I even question God’s role in the world, in His church, in His disciples/believers. I often conclude that He loves us but He’s just absent.
I was staying at my grandparents house to reset. It’s my place to go when I need to get away from the world for a few days. I come in from my morning run and see my grandmother praying over my family. There’s a big family picture in the basement and she prayers of it every morning. Pleading the blood of Jesus over all of us to keep us safe. I’ve seen her do it many times before and have joined her each time. But this time was different. I stood behind her and I couldn’t help but wonder why she keeps doing this. I don’t really think God does many miracles anymore. He loves us enough to help us through each day. But then I felt this small voice (most likely the Holy Spirit) say,
“Well what was the point of the cross?”
I thought it over and the only answer I could come up with was, “Grace.”
The grace of God helps us through the day. It gives us the good things and the bad things and gives us the strength to survive it. So maybe this gift is the miracle because no matter what happens in the world, it will always exist for those who believe in Jesus.
Perhaps that’s the reason my grandmother continues to pray over us every morning. Who knows how God will move on our behalf today. I don’t have many more answers for all of the other things in the world but today I’m going to cling to this truth: God’s Grace is the most sustainable thing we have. Along with new mercies, it brings much needed hope for what today could bring. For me, it is a great reason to press on and endure today.
Confessions of an Enduring Optimist 