See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are!” 1 John 3:1
It was a food adventure. Judy and I love adventures. Sometimes that means a new place to visit, or it might be as simple as a new place to eat. Well, one of the things that Judy and I enjoy doing together is dining out at a restaurant. We have several favorites that we go to regularly. We have our favorite here in the ‘burg, favorites in Marion, favorites in Paducah and even a couple in Evansville. Then we have favorite meals at each place. At one we have a steak, at another grilled shrimp, at another a hamburger–and that is a seafood place…go figure.
But do you know what happens occasionally? We decide to go “rogue.” We decide to go to a new place or try something new at a familiar place. That is how we discovered the “Pork Belly, Pimento Cheese, Fried Green Tomato, wonder of wonders”. It still makes me drool. Regardless, the new adventure is always refreshing and usually quite good. Every once in a while it flops, —every once in a while we leave saying, “well, that didn’t work.”
A couple of years ago we were in Paducah and on a whim tried a Chinese place. Everything said, “don’t” but we did. Weeds in the parking lot, trash in the parking lot and a front door that looked like a herd of kids with dirty hands had just passed through all said, “get back in the car.” Well, we didn’t, and boy was it a bad experience. But even so here’s what we have discovered—the sense of change—the sense of adventure is worth the risk of the occasional failure. Change can be challenging but it is also refreshing.
Someone once said that a rut is a grave with the ends knocked out. By and large, I am a creature of habit. I have the same thing for breakfast almost every day. I drive the same way to work every day. But even if I like sameness, I also like change. Isn’t that weird? There is a reason. We need change to keep life fresh. We need variety to make life interesting. I think that is one of the things the pandemic forced our hand on. We have to do some things differently—willing or not. While that is true in our personal journey, it is also true in our spiritual journey.
There is one thing that gives me a confident assurance that nothing is new to God. He is never surprised and never caught off guard. He never says, “Boy, I sure didn’t see that one coming!” It is great to belong to a God who is big enough to have everything under control. I love that in this world of constant change, He is a constant—He never changes. That means no matter where you go in the past—He was there, and He was the same. That means no matter where you go today—He is there, and He is the same. And that means no matter where the future takes you and no matter what it holds—He will be there, and He will be the same. He.Is.The.Same.
Like I said, I enjoy a little variety—a little change adds spice to life. But when it comes to my Dearest Father, well, I like the sameness that He brings. My circumstances, my mess-ups, even my fickleness doesn’t faze Him. He is always the same. And that sameness, well, it is just the best. A guy named John in the New Testament wrote and said that it is just amazing, this love that God has for us…a love that extends out and allows us to be called His.
Let me suggest you occasionally try a new restaurant and or a new item on the menu. And if it has pork belly and pimento cheese on it—well, it’s got to be a winner. But when it comes to choosing what god you will serve—there’s only one choice and that is Creator God. Bigger than it all—ready and willing to handle our biggest problems and always ready to extend His grace our way—there’s no need to look any further. Oh, and of course, as always, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 