Year of Grace

Year of Grace (by Robin Mark)

Just as I am, one only plea
In that the blood once shed was shed for me
And drew me to a covenant place
Where I found mercy in the year of grace

No condemnation now for me
Your Word has touched my heart and now I see
In Heaven stands to plead my case
The One who found me in the year of grace

O Son of God, sweet Son of Man
The Author of redemption's plan
Eternal God in time and space
Oh keep me ever in the year of grace

I hear Your voice, my soul awakes
Your whispered words have stirred my heart to praise
On love unbound I fix my gaze
Where I first saw You in the year of grace

In life in death, whom shall I fear?
Closer than breath I feel You near
Oh hold me in Your strong embrace
Where I find rest within the year of grace

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This song tells my story pretty well.

I will always remember 2011 as my own personal year of grace.

It was the year grace seemed to burst onto the scene and tear down walls of self-righteousness, striving, fear, and impossible expectations.

Yes, grace had been there all along, but I'd never given it much of a chance.

Then the time came when I could no longer close my eyes.  God shined the light of His grace on my pride and all the outward things I'd clung to as my key to spiritual growth.  The journey out of that tangled mess was uncomfortable, even frightening.  There are moments when I realize, in some ways, I'm still standing on the fringes of the old law-keeping jungle.  But things won't ever be quite the same.

2011.  The year of grace.

It was when I first began to truly understand what it meant to rest in my Heavenly Father's strong embrace - something I never, ever want to forget.

You know something?  At first, I was afraid that the newness would wear off, that this wonderful discovery would one day become commonplace.  That my year of grace would come and go with the year 2011.

And now?  It's 2012.  I hardly know how to explain it, but it's like God has given me a second year of grace.

When I stop to think about it, it's not so far-fetched.  Grace is who He is.

I have a sneaking suspicion I'll also be able to call 2013 (and 2014, and so forth) the year of grace.

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As you probably remember, I read Grace for the Good Girl this summer, and was tremendously blessed by it.  Now the author has written a second book, Graceful - for young women.  Oh, how I wish these books had been written when I was growing up!  Although I haven't actually read "Graceful" (it was just released last week), if it's anything like the first book, it will be blessing - a breath of fresh air for tired souls seeking to earn God's favor.

I highly recommend Grace for the Good Girl - and I'll let you know how Graceful is when my copy arrives.



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Wherever you are, may your life and heart be filled with God's grace!