Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Grace

My wife came in at 5.30am this morning, she had left the west end at 2.30am. On her way home with the two girls who live with us, Indya and Johanna, they found a guy totally unconcious lying in the middle of the road. They sorted an ambulance and liased a bit with the police and got him sorted, they then drove on and found a whole group of people puking and going comatose, who where on an 18 - 30 holiday.

The airhead reps who were meant to be looking after them, patronized Tracy and said they had it all under control. Tracy and the girls just hung around eventually the reps left! leaving a number of people in the street (your caring holiday reps!!) There was one girl who they left behaind in a really bad way. The girls took her to the medical clinic and then on to her hotel. Upon their return they found another guy lying on the pavement, they asked a bouncer from the club for some water, he went in got a cup of water and threw it over the guys head! He wouldn't give them water for the guy to drink as he said the bar was closed. They waited patiently with the guy who eventually woke up and ripped the arm of his Hugo Boss shirt because it was covered in puke, he then staggered off home. Then the ladies came home.

I must admit I was little ungracious about this whole scene, it's hardly like they are unfortunate orphans who deserve our mercy, they bring it on themselves.

Why couldn't Tracy have driven another way home? Why do we do this? It's thankless and frustrating. Why do these people who get the customers in such a mess just leave them? Why do the reps take these guys out and get them hammered? It's about money and it pisses me off.

Then I thought of grace. I think we need to constantly be reminded of Grace, it's not a lesson we learn once, it's something that I feel we will keep getting dragged back to. Grace in all things, this is our journey.

How many times has he picked me up when I have failed? How many times has God stopped for me and not driven past? How many times has God wiped the puke of my sin from my face? How many times has God waited patiently by my side until I wake up and come to my senses? How many times have I staggered of my on my journey without realising that whilst I was asleep God was sitting watching over me?

Countless times.

So after these thoughts I have returned to that place of grace again, I am sure there will be times were I loose it again, but the trick is to keep coming back to it as quickly as possible. This place tests my grace but hopefully it also makes me grow in grace.

I don't get what I deserve and as an expression of Christ here on this planet I need to reflect Him and His grace.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What a privilege to have the opportunity to be a 'Good Samaritan', Brian. You can do the things that others would cross the road to avoid...