Jesus, My Sustaining Grace

Photo credit: Gordon Magee

(By Rachel Joyce)

I remember the chilly evenings,

Sitting in the gospel tent while

My husband preached truth

And I struggled

With our wilful toddler,

Held our baby, and kept

My eye on our six-year-old

Sitting, squirming up near the

Front. Who knew an hour could

Feel so long, take so much

Out of you?

And at the end of almost every

Meeting, we sang, “Grace, grace,

God’s grace...Will you this moment

His grace receive?”

As I sang, I prayed for

Sinners to come, to receive

His grace, to be cleansed from

All their sin, and I didn’t realize

His grace was also for me, there and then,

Able to provide all I needed. God’s grace

For living.

I wish I had known, understood

The true meaning of grace: God’s

Enabling power, His favor poured

Out upon all

Who believe, available

To all who will receive. Will

You receive all the blessings

He has for you or are your hands

So filled with your good works, your

Striving, that you have no space to

Hold grace?

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” for

They recognize their true need, know that

Every moment, every breath, every blessing

Is only grace.

And with this realization,

Comes transformation, slowly

Like a butterfly breaking free from

Its cocoon, beginning to fly hesitantly

On untried wings, we learn to lean

Into the currents, soaring higher,

Sustained by grace.