Accepting Grace

Father,

How do we find the balance between accepting your grace and mercy while taking responsibility for our sin and weakness? Paul warned us about the danger of viewing grace as a license for sin in Romans 6, "shall we continue in sin that grace many abound?" Some would offer a hardy amen if you stopped right there.

Why do we swing like the pendulum on a clock. Back and forth, prostrate on our knees, humbled before you we lie broken? During that moment of anquish and remorse we commit eternal vigilance and faithfulness only to fall back into our old patterns.

Proud, upright, confident in ourselves we return to the world, we embrace our passions like a suckling child to her mother's breast. We bask in our own righteousness and seek your grace to cover our unrepentant sins. Surely your umbrella of forgiveness was meant for such moments as these.

I know there must be a place to acknowledge our wrong doings while accepting your grace. Understanding the destructive nature of sin, while embracing your tender mercies. Like David, my sins are every before you, but help me O Lord to know the comfort of your marvelleous grace.