by Pastor Douglas Brauner
…but God’s Grace Is Stronger.
You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.
My wife and I are blessed to watch our youngest grandson twice a week. He recently turned one and with his “advanced” age he has learned that his legs get him from point A to point B faster than his knees, though he often falls on his journey. I use these falls as an opportunity to teach him an important truth about life; gravity works.
I have hiked the trails of Sondermann park in my hometown for several years. It is a quiet park in the middle of a busy city. This bird house (if you can’t tell what it is) has been present throughout these years. It is set on a hill, exposed to the elements which have taken their toll, and once again, gravity works. The house is falling.
The older I get, the more I realize that gravity works, and I’m not merely talking about my waistline. The years of pain and sorrow, of dreams not turning out the way that I expected or hoped weigh heavy on me. My “house” is giving in to the forces of nature. Then I hear the words of David.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.”
Psalm 23:6 English Standard Version
God’s house never succumbs to gravity. David understood that though his life felt the effects of aging, the Lord restored his soul (Psalm 23:3) and that he dwelt in the presence of his Savior forever. God’s house always remains.
As my “house” gives in to the effects of gravity, I also experience joy. It is a joy that is based on the promise of an amazing reality. I will always dwell in God’s presence because of Jesus. His death and resurrection have won a place for me in God’s house. Gravity works, but God’s mercy is greater.
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
