Grace Guy - www.graceguy.org

When I was a young boy, I had found a collection of inspirational poems in a used book shop. I begged my mom to pay the indicated 4$ (and even included the guilt-inducing wide eyes). She was graceful enough to oblige and I began to read it fervently. 

It has since become the best 4$ investment I ever begged my mom to make. Out of that collection was a poem called 'The Touch of the Master's Hands'. 

I wrote a short blog post a while back on it but I recently stumbled upon an essay of the author by Lilly Walters, from the 'One Hand Typing and Keyboarding'.  

For Myra, writing such a telling image of Grace came from a deep personal experience. Enjoy Ms Walters' bio of Ms Brook Welch.
 
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Meet Myra Brooks Welch.

Myra Brooks Welch, a resident of La Verne, California, was called "The poet with the singing soul." Hers was a very musical family. As a young woman, Myra’s special love was playing the organ.

In 1921, she heard a speaker address a group of students. She said she became filled with light, and "Touch of the Master’s Hand wrote itself in 30 minutes!" She sent it anonymously to her church news bulletin. She felt it was a gift from God, and didn’t need her name on it. It’s popularity spread like magic. Finally, several years later, the poem was read at a religious international convention - "author unknown." A young man stood up and said, "I know the author, and it’s time the world did too. It was written by my mother, Myra Welch."
    
Then her name, as well her other beautiful works of poetry became known worldwide. All of her poetry told of the rejoicing she had in God’s love.

What the world did not see, was the woman who created these masterpieces: Myra in her wheelchair, battered and scarred from severe arthritis, which had taken away her ability to make music. Instead, her musical soul spoke through her poetry. 
She took one pencil in each of her badly disabled hands. Using the eraser end, she would slowly type the words, the joy of them outweighing the pain of her efforts. Her words, a joyous expression of the wonders of life, as seen by a singing soul, touched by the Master’s Hand.

(c) 2003, Lilly Walters, from the 'One Hand Typing and Keyboarding' 

I recently heard JD Greear preach at a local conference. He exposed his biblically-based view of how the Gospel affects one's personal life.  

Taken from his latest book, Gospel, JD gave is his 4-point daily prayer which encapsulates deep truths about Grace.

It has since become a daily reminder for me as well. Thank you JD.

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1. In Christ, there is nothing I could do that would make Him love me more, nothing I have done that makes Him love me less

2. Your presence and approuval are all I need today for everlasting joy

3. As You have been to me, so I will be to others

4. As I pray, I'll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection

- JD Greear

Once in a very rare blue moon, a story comes along that takes my breath away, pulls out the tears hidden deep in my ducts and rips my attention away from everything else. In return, the story gives back an undying admiration to the graceful choices made, the inspiration to live courageously and a fresh perspective on 'sweating my small stuff'. 

But beyond the touching story, beyond the singing talent, beyond the courage to go on stage, I am in awe of the mother's compassion, mercy and grace. Moira Kelly chose to care for and raise abandoned and disabled brothers she found at an orphanage.

I can't help but see this as an example of God's Grace towards me. I was crippled by my sin, helpless and abandoned in a shoebox without hope and facing certain death. He reached down, through Christ,  to find me, to take care of me, to love me, to guide me and to give an eternal hope for an eternal home.

Enjoy the blue moon.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

The 'Grace and Christ' series focuses on the aspects of His ministry on Earth and how it demonstrated Grace.

Here I look at how Christ used Grace to train the disciples he handpicked to deliver His message to the world.

- When they lacked spiritual understanding, Christ's grace provided instruction

- When they lacked humility, Christ's grace provided His example

- When they lacked faith, Christ's grace provided miracles and mighty deeds

- When they lacked commitment, Christ's grace provided His prayers

- When they lacked power, Christ's grace provided the Holy Spirit

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14

The 'Grace and Christ' series focuses on the aspects of His ministry on Earth and how it demonstrated Grace.

Here I look at what my humble reactions should be to to His graceful actions towards me:
  
- Christ's grace teaches me, my humility should make me His student

- Christ's grace forgives me, my humility should make me repent from my sins

- Christ's grace leads me, my humility should make me follow in complete dependence

- Christ's grace serves me, my humility should make me serve Him and others

- Christ's grace hears me, my humility should make me pray about everything

- Christ's grace is with me, my humility should make me worship His presence.

His Grace should stimulate humble actions in me.

Following the post on Grace and Humility, I was reminded of many instances in history when people who were given Grace, through no merit of their own, used this gift as a platform for personal pride. I realize that our collective past is riddled with 'Christians' who based their justification of superiority on their faith. Grace disagrees with them. 

The apostle Paul, in 2Cor 15:10, says :
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Maya Angelou wonderfully penned When I say I am a Christian as a true representation of Grace.