Meditation over Morning Coffee: Grace & the Law (ongoing)

You know that principle of synchronicity? It’s the idea that a coincidence of events can somehow seem related in a meaningful way.

I’ve been re-invigorated lately by new perspectives on Grace — that whole simple yet staggeringly profound force of God’s favor given to us, completely undeserved and unearned by us. In fact, we CAN’T earn it. If we did, as soon as we begin trying to fulfill the Law to live up to religious standards, our very efforts neutralize grace. The Law, those old standards which we compared ourselves against, they’re all gone, they’re done away with. They were completely met, our obligations completely fulfilled by the work of Jesus himself. The Law has no say over us, no authority, and no power.

And now, this morning, grabbing a “quick read” in the Bible before heading out to church, another nugget on this incredible gift of removing the burden of the Law off our backs:

He who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law. (Romans 13:8-10)

Like a good cup of coffee, that nugget just slid down, giving me that warm, comfy feeling deep inside. Life is so much simpler with just one principle to follow.

Just something to think about over your morning coffee…