The Messy Middle

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Grace IS the icing on the cake

Grace is a tricky concept.

In junior high I was taught the acronym God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense to explain grace. And though I got it, I didn’t really. I knew I needed something beyond me. Though on the outside I may have been all “whatever” towards a parent or a sister; on the inside I felt slimy when I rude with my words or selfish with my actions.

Sure, I often felt justified. If only I did’t live with such imbeciles I wouldn’t be pushed to the edge. But deep down, I knew they weren’t imbeciles.

How could God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense help me be more loving or less selfish? Considering that Jesus was one of the clearest teachers who cut right to the heart of a lesson, I can’t imagine him using an acronym on a important concept.

Instead I think Jesus might use a baking lesson.

My friend was making a layer cake for her sister-in-law’s birthday and the top lay broke into pieces. Kind of like my words or actions falling apart right before me and I don’t know what to do. This is what grace does with our brokenness:

pieces

pieces-together

top-frosting

messy-frosted-cake-2

smoothing-sides

peaks-on-top

cake-finalized

Grace is like a broken layered birthday cake. Grace does the messy work of placing the broken pieces back where they need to be and then holding them in place with frosting. Slowly, with each pass of the knife the holding the pieces in place become easier. To a certain extent the brokenness still exists. Grace isn’t a magic wand, after all. Grace is a redeeming act of love that covers the brokenness until the pieces aren’t seen, the cake is.

Christ’s sacrifice may have been once and done. But like a bowl of frosting, it is in the spreading of the frosting that turns plain cake into an offering for celebration.

Grace may be an acronym about God’s riches, but for me, grace is like frosting, holding the pieces together. It covers me.

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11 Comments November 29, 2016

About Amy

My name is Amy and I live in the messy middle of life. I have been Redeemed from permanent muck and live with the tension of the Already and Not Yet.

Comments

  1. Amy says

    November 29, 2016 at 7:07 am

    Well said Amy, praise God!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      November 29, 2016 at 10:40 am

      Thanks fellow Amy :)

      Reply
  2. Angie Blattner says

    November 29, 2016 at 2:18 pm

    I LOVE THIS!! I remember when we were talking about this concept at the Botanic Gardens. So so sooooo good. Love you, Amy!!!

    Reply
    • Amy says

      December 1, 2016 at 11:02 am

      Thanks Angie . . . I love talking theology with you too :)!

      Reply
  3. Anna says

    November 30, 2016 at 12:58 am

    That’s a really good analogy. :)

    Reply
    • Amy says

      December 1, 2016 at 11:05 am

      Thanks Anna! When my friend said, after the cake falling apart, “Don’t worry, frosting will redeem it” something in me sat up and said, “PAY ATTENTION.” :)

      Reply
  4. Mark Allman says

    December 2, 2016 at 10:47 am

    I have a tough time ever thinking of grace without thinking of mercy and visa versa. Grace extends and mends and mercy holds back.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      December 5, 2016 at 3:24 pm

      Mark, what a great insight! Thank you :)

      Reply
  5. Mathew Nesbitt says

    December 17, 2016 at 4:01 am

    Very well said! Hope to read more blog updates like this!

    Reply
  6. Jerry Jones says

    December 22, 2016 at 6:17 am

    Great stuff Amy. Love everything you do.

    Reply
    • Amy says

      December 23, 2016 at 8:37 am

      Thanks Jerry, high praise coming from you :)! I appreciate it.

      Reply

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