Not your own doing

I have not written for a couple of days because I have found myself pretty busy with a whole variety of activity - facilitating  boundary training for the region, leading a murder mystery birthday party for a friend, preaching in Sidney Ohio, and entertaining Lisa, Chuck's daughter from Toledo.  Maybe it doesn't sound like much but I have sort of lost my morning routine in which writing in the blog happens.

But here I am this morning and back at it.  Caught as I look at the day's scripture by this line from Ephesians 2

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God– not the result of works, 

The grace of God and the ongoing flow of creative love in my life and in this world  is   - to use an overworked word - awesome.  As I look back on these last few days I see it, I taste, I love it.  The grace that enables me to be present, to see beneath the surface, to savor the moment.  Which all sounds lovely.

This morning I read an interesting quote by Julian of Norwich:
"Only in the falling apart of your own foundation can you experience God as your total foundation and your real foundation." 

And what I have learned over time is that when what I think is a "foundation" starts to crumble is when I really do find God is there in the chaos and the crisis and the cleanup.  That is when it is really clear that grace is "not my doing."  

I have a meeting this morning as a regional elder in which I imagine we will talk about the future of the region in the light of the sudden resignation of our regional pastor.  There is a sense with many people that things are changing and almost crumbling in the church.  My faith that reminds me that there is a foundation beneath what we think is foundational is always foundational!  I certainly don't have answers here - any more than I have answers nationally as I worry about the leadership of our country.  However, I trust that God is at work even though it sure looks on the surface like we are falling apart.

My Mantra for today - TTRUST IN THE GIFT OF GRACE

I will include this Psalm that always speaks to me in times of change.

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹ The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.