First Steps – October 2, 2017

Fred Craddock tells a story of a young female student at Emory who came into his office mystified.  She explained that she was not a Christian and had not attended church. Unfortunately, there came a time when she had reached a low point in her life and in fact had intended to commit suicide.  She had gone to a high bridge and was going to jump into the river below.  What stopped her was that suddenly as she was about to jump a verse of Scripture popped into her mind:  “My life is not my own.  I have been bought with a price.”

The young woman came and asked Dr. Craddock, the great New Testament scholar, for help and explanation to what happened to her.  Craddock asked a number of questions. “Are you sure you never attended church or read the Bible?”  She responded, “Yes, very sure.”  She then said, “Wait, there was a time, when I was a little girl, that my grandmother took me to Vacation Bible School at her church.”  Craddock asked, “Do you remember anything from that experience?”  “Only that we were asked to write out these little sentences on strips of paper and memorize them.  I guess they were Bible verses.” Craddock smiled and said, “You see, God stored that gospel word in your heart, so that one day it would save you and indeed it had.”

I don’t think any of us will ever fully know how many times God reveals himself to us.  I’m convinced we only notice a fraction; and even then, they are filtered through our experiences.  The good news is it only takes that small fraction, one simple ray of grace, that can save a life.  For that, all honor and glory belongs to God.  This week, look for the fragments of grace.  Try to see the whole canopy of love God gives to you.

 
Prayer Requests:
 
Those affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria
Mexico City and those affected by recent earthquake
Our Country and Our Leaders