OK, But Are You Gonna?

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (II Timothy 2:1)

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14) 

           Strong. The word is the English translation of a Greek term from which we also get dynamic, dynamo and dynamite. It’s also related to the word from which we get dinosaur.

          Grace. It’s the English translation of a Greek term from which we also get gift, charismatic, charisma. It’s related to the word from which we get charity and love. It describes a state of kindness and favor toward someone, often with a focus on a benefit given to the object; by extension, gift, benefit, words of kindness and benefit, thanks, blessing. 

          What does “strong in the grace” mean? How does one go about being strong in grace? I have been pondering this idea since I went to my workout, where my goal is to become strong. It was a leg day and usually by the time I’m done with a leg workout, I really don’t feel up to taking the dog for a walk But, it’s Oh My Goodness Gracious and she wanted to go, and I wasn’t feeling too tired. We’ve been walking a shorter loop. By the time I got half way along the north side of the loop, I decided to walk a little faster. The west side of the loop has a decent hill in it, but even with that, by the time I got home, I had made up my mind that I could mow the front lawn. As I did so, the verse from Judges came to mind. Yes, and when I got that done, I mowed the back and trimmed some weeds along the neighbor’s garage. 

          As I did all these things, my knees, my feet and my back didn’t hurt. I didn’t limp. I didn’t creep along at a pace that a snail could have beat. I was able to spend from 7:30 to 10 working out and working outside. Of course, I may have been able to do that before, but I didn’t feel both physical able and motivated to do it in my own strength. 

          While that gets a deserved cheer from me, I didn’t miss the connection. At least, I didn’t miss that there is a connection. I was able to be strong and dynamic in the strength that I have built up by working out for the last two months. Working out was a gift I gave myself. 

          The other thing that came to mind is that grace is only actually needed when one is insufficient. When I worked at the library, we had a grace period for books, meaning that if you couldn’t make it by the day they were due, you could take up to five days to return it after it was due. The other event that speaks to me of grace is when I was walking at Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery and didn’t want to go up the hill. God told me I didn’t have to, and asked if I was going to. 

          I’m wondering about that. Could it be that when I want to do something I shouldn’t, or don’t want to do something I should, that God doesn’t bludgeon me? Could it be that instead, He says, “OK, you can,” or “OK, you don’t have to” but then says, “But are you gonna?” And when I fail, when I do what I shouldn’t or don’t do what I should, could it be that He keeps working in me? 

          I’m not suggesting that it’s ever OK to do what we shouldn’t, or to not do what we should, but isn’t our failure what grace is about? I’m not saying “sin all the more so grace can abound.” I’m wondering whether at least part of grace is tied up in the question, “OK, but are you gonna?”