Heatstroke and the Grace of God

Two somewhat interrelated topics are on my mind this evening. The first is the amenities we enjoy in this era. Today, for a few hours, the AC in our house was broken. At one point the temperature reached 94 degrees inside. It was truly miserable. However, due to the Lord's grace, a repair man was able to come only 3 hours after I called and it was fixed within 30 minutes of his arrival! So I am truly thankful to the Lord for His grace in causing this repair to happen speedily.

The second is God's sovereign grace in my salvation. Today, as I lay on the bed, under the fan, listening to an Indelible Grace album, I thought about how some people I know would never fathom listening to music like that which I was presently enjoying. I began to think of how the lyrics would seem so foreign and how some might even mock them. I then thought about some people and some friends from days past who are not believers and who do not love Jesus or the things of God. At that moment I was simply rocked by the Lord's favor toward me in His gracious electing and subsequent saving work in my life. It is only because of grace that I am at all concerned with God and His Word. I was truly amazed by the fact that for some reason the Lord saw fit to save me. It is only because of His free, unconstrained good-pleasure that I read the Bible or care about holiness. It is only because of His marvelous grace that I do not pursue sin with a reckless abandonment. Like my brother Blake said this evening, I don't want to ever get to a place where I forget the true gospel and the grace of God in my life. Sometimes it's hard to imagine how that could ever happen, knowing what I've experienced in my relationship with the Father. However, then I remember folks who have fallen away, a college professor I had, a man and woman from a church I was a part of, pastors, etc. etc. and I realize that I am, in and of myself no different than they. I possess in me all the wretchedness that drove them to turn their backs on the faith and pursue sin instead. I just hope and trust that I am a part of those mentioned in Hebrews 6:9 and not those mentioned in the previous portion of the same chapter.