"future grace" gratitude for the past

Skiing the glades is challenging and has risks. Obstacles can come at you quickly and you need to see beyond the barriers to the opening and see the path. If you focus on the trees you will hit them so you need to see the openings and the way forward.

Similarly, life's challenges and circumstances can set you off guard. Grace is needed in life to move forward toward the clearing and the path ahead.

Today I was talking with my daughter and she said while driving she could see stars in the sky to one side of the car and that she had a glimpse of the future and things to come and hope for the future.

 Little did she know to her surprise the moon was huge and encompassed the rear view mirror, She thought of gratitude for the past and all that had brought her to this point.

John Piper writes in a Future grace article

 "Gratitude looks back to grace received in the past and feels thankful. Faith looks forward to grace promised in the future and feels hopeful. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1).

"This faith in future grace is the motive for obedience that preserves the gracious quality of human obedience. Obedience does not consist in paying God back and thus turning grace into a trade. Obedience comes from trusting in God for more grace—future grace—and thus magnifying the infinite resources of God’s love and power. Faith looks to the promise: “I will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9), and ventures, in obedience, to take the land."

The biblical role of past grace—especially the cross—is to guarantee the certainty of future grace: “He who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all (past grace), how shall he not with him freely give us all things (future grace)?” (Romans 8:32). But trusting in future grace is the motive and strength of our obedience. The more we trust in future grace the more we give God the opportunity in our lives to show the glory of his inexhaustible grace. So take a promise of future grace and do some radical act of obedience on it. God will be mightily honored.

Stepping forward onto future grace," (John Piper)

So in all this I will look to God in faith for grace to see "the patch of blue" in my life circumstances.

So in all this I will look to God in faith for grace to cross every valley that would bring me down by despondency.

Future Grace - by John Piper (Page 303 1995 Ed)

Jesus call us friend in our darkest night and to know His rescuing grace,

Fall on your Knees- David Crowder Band

Uploaded on Jan 13, 2012
P & Copyright 2012 Sparrow Records
Written by David Crowder
Produced by David Crowder Band
Executive Producers: Louie Giglio, Shelly Giglio, and Brad O'Donnel
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Lyrics:
He spoke and stars came out
He spoke and lighting flashed and thunder broke the quiet
He spoke and my heart, it burst to life

All this mystery divine

Fall on your knees
Forgiven and clean
Forgiven and free
Oh my God, oh my God
It's too wonderful
It's too wonderful

A voice then all of this
A voice that called me friend in darkest of night
A voice and my heart, it burst to life

Fall on your knees
Forgiven and clean
Forgiven and free
Here we are
It's too wonderful
It's too wonderful

To feel this grace rescuing
Lifting us up, washing our feet
Oh my God, oh my God
It's too wonderful
It's too wonderful

Oh reverent love burn us up
Until what I was is gone
Holy love burn us up
Until what I was is gone
Reverent love burn us up
Until what I was is gone
Like clouds dissolve in sunlight

Oh wonder
Fall on your knees
Forgiven and clean
Forgiven and free
Oh my God, oh my God
It's too wonderful
It's too wonderful

Oh feel this grace rescuing
Lifting us up, washing our feet
Oh my God, oh my God
It's too wonderful
It's too wonderful

Oh wonder
Fall on your knees
In wonder
Fall on your knees

Mount of he Holy Cross - CO