JonnyTalk_Grace_Contentment

Last week in HiKoi we had a Jonny Talk on God’s grace.  Jonny talked about how grace is getting something (good) that you don’t deserve.  And begun to unpack how often we neglect to see all the good things we’ve been given though we never did anything to deserve them, namely a relationship with God Himself through Christ.  He used a simple abstraction to illustrate.

Abstraction (1)

As Christians many of us have had the mentality to find something bigger than ourselves, something or someone worth living for, and we yearn for a life that is more satisfying than the one we are living for now.  And in this yearning we turn to God.

"I Want God"

But what would our mentality be if as Christians we became a truly selfless people?   Perhaps we’d be a people who would draw all people (me, you, us, them) towards God, and all would desire for God.

"Want God"

But what if we as Christians, on top of being truly selfless people, were also content?  What if we didn’t really want anything in particular because we were happy knowing that we have and will always have everything that we need?  In selflessness and contentment, we’d find the one that makes selflessness and contentment possible because He is so graciously good.

“God"

Dude..Jonny’s so deep.. 

End of Abstraction (1)

In my mind, it sounds something that his brother Matt would say.  Also kind of like Pastor Dan.. Also kind of Tim Keller-y...I digress.

Jonny also talked about how this is has been relevant to his current circumstance: not getting into any of the schools he wanted to get into.  Though disillusioned from the whole process, Jonny said that he’s been recently comforted in the fact that God is in control of his future.  Jonny said even though he didn’t get what he wanted, God has good things planned for him, and for Jonny that thought has been freeing.

The one thought I had circling my mind while Jonny was speaking about grace and contentment I’ve shared once before.  But I’ve always been challenged by the thought that on the night which Jesus was betrayed, He took bread and gave thanks.  If it were me, I would not be thankful.  I would not trust God knowing that the Father would deliver me to be crucified the way Jesus was.  And yet Jesus understood that the Father wanted good things for His children.  And because of that underlying trust in the Father, Jesus was grateful for everything the Father provided.  Even the small things like bread.

In life, God will not give us everything we want, but even in times of disillusionment He asks us to trust Him.  When we ask, “Why am I in this circumstance?”  He asks us to remember who He is and what He has done.  (In three words: Good and Plenty) #Candy?  He asks us to let go of the things we have no control over, and to let God handle them.  He asks us to trust and obey.  

Accept grace, friends.  Be content in Christ.

That said happy Passion Week!

Ethan