Grace Is a Scandal

I have a confession on the Camino. I was at times annoyed by certain pilgrims and petty judgment. This one guy kept talking about inappropriate things around my kids. I worked hard at avoiding him for a few days, but then there he was on top of Cruz Dero, silently laying down his own burdens, praying silently. For a long time I was convicted. I wanted grace for me, but in my heart I wanted, but something else for him. I'd like to propose that we don't really understand grace. Grace is scandalous. Just when you think you get it, there comes a case where God is willing to lavishly, give a good gift to some undeserving soul, and we want to yell out, not them. That is when God gives even more grace. You might object or scoff that we somehow can receive such an undeserved gift from a ludicrously generous God, but that is exactly who he is. He is radical with his love for all of humanity. I pray you were able to lay down your burden at car dero. If you did, I pray you experienced the freedom of that moment, of a burden being lifted, of a foretaste of something different. I pray that you can live in the joy of new life. Whatever it is you have done, whatever burden you laid down, but are tempted to pick back up again. Jesus has taken it. He is forgiven. His grace is a scandal and it is sufficient to give you life. Rest in the scandalous grace of Jesus in enjoy it For I am convinced that neither life nor death, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all of creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8 38 to 39.