The Gift Of Grace

October 2008

Who can describe grace in its fullness? It takes 66 books and eternity to do it justice for grace is never ending.  Grace is God blessing his people in every way imaginable. My favorite way of understanding grace is God doing for me what I am unable to do for myself. That’s a priceless gift! That’s abundant living. Grace could be God changing me into the likeness of his Son, or giving me daily bread. It could be fixing a long broken relationship, or a broken heart. What I am unable to do for myself, God does for me.

Recently a dear friend sent me the story of his mom’s physical need and how God did for her what she was not able to do on her own. It fits my understanding of grace so well so I thought to bless you with it. This story has also appeared in The Horizon, the Canadian Convention’s newspaper.  I share it here with permission.
 
A Widow’s Provision
She lives alone, Greta Johnson does, in a town in Saskatchewan. 
Greta is ninety, a widow, a pastor’s wife.
Fifty-six of those years, spent in the same house.
She’s been alone now nearly three years. 
Her children phone daily.
Her church spoils her.
Neighbors check up on her.
And she has Sandy, her dog, faithful companion
He’s learned so much since Bert died, Greta says, adding with a smile, that’s because I talk to him so much.
Last summer Sandy developed a growth on the foot he wouldn’t leave alone. She wondered, would she need to put him down?
I was at the “end of my rope” concerning Sandy, Greta recalls. I wrote in my scribbler that I list requests in, HELP!
Greta took him to see the vet. The growth could be surgically removed – that was the good news. But that meant a considerable expense to Greta, who lives on a limited income. And an added stress – her beloved dog would stay at the animal clinic to recuperate.
Greta polled her seven children, asking what to do. The consensus was yes, she had no choice. Sandy needed the operation.
She phoned her son Paul, who is the SHARE leader for the CNBC, before she took Sandy to the vet.
She asked for prayer for her dog as they ended the call. Should I be praying for a dog? Paul wondered. Yes, he decided, if his mom requested it, but felt awkward doing so.
That’s all prelude to the story of an unexpected miracle.
Wednesday night, with Sandy still at the hospital, Greta heard a knock at the door. It was nearly 10 PM, too late really for visitors. Greta looked out and saw a man standing on the front steps. She recognized the face, but couldn’t place him.
When she went to the door he asked, Do you know who I am?
No, I don’t – you’re familiar, but sorry, I can’t place you, Greta replied tentatively.
I’m Jesse, he replied.  Harold’s in the car.
Memories flooded back. In the Fifties the two men, identical twins, had been part of First Baptist Church. Greta’s husband Bert had been their pastor. They’d been in an horrific accident – a fatality, she remembered vaguely. Jesse stayed part of the church, married and raised a family. Harold moved away.
Jesse said, Your husband was so good to us.  We were just going by, thought you still might be living in the same house. We wanted to stop and say thanks. With that, he pulled out a roll of money and held it out to her!
Harold and I have something in the car – we’ll bring it in¸ he continued. He walked back to the street.
Astounded, Greta opened the roll of bills and counted. Twenty-four of them! Fifties! A total of… of $1200!
Jess and Harold returned, arms full of groceries. Three months’ worth, Greta figured.
We’ve done well up in Fort McMurray, Jesse explained. We wanted to say thanks to Bert and you.
He added, We’re on our way to Manitoba, driving all night, so we can’t stay. After a warm good-bye, they turned, got into the car and drove away. Greta was left standing in the front room, surrounded by food, hands full of cash!
Have you ever held a roll of $50s? It’s beautiful! she wrote her son the next day.
Greta revels in the goodness of God shown her. A fifty year old debt of love paid back, totally unexpected She’s not even sure what her husband did to help the men.
But they remembered. Better, God remembered! Remembered her prayer, remembered her need and quietly provided.
God listens to a widow’s prayers, he does.
And awkward prayers for an ailing dog.
Paul Johnson
September/08
Walking with the Master is living by faith like Greta does. And as Greta discovered, our companion on the journey is full of grace. He is so full of it that he has plenty to go around even to those canines in our lives.

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