Fragment -- #128

[February 2000 journal entry]

I recently listened to a group of physicians discuss the concept ‘grace’ in a way that associated experiencing grace with the confession of spiritual weakness. The discussion led me to realize more clearly I have come to think --

1. of grace as an invitation/opportunity to step into (even seek out) new, unfamiliar, intimidating, challenging, threatening circumstances and experiences without fearing the inevitable stumbling, falling, trembling, . . . ;
   
   
2. ‘the gospel of Jesus’ has essentially to do with daring to live as he embodies and teaches (i.e., being profoundly radical or ‘to the root’) and, therefore, entering new, unfamiliar, intimidating, challenging, threatening circumstances and experiences;
   
   
3. those who overcome their fear of failing by remaining safely within the familiar ironically remain far removed from the ‘presence of God’ – a consequence that seems to me to be inseparable from interpretations that link experiencing grace to the confession of spiritual weakness and that make childlike dependence the spiritual ideal and a prerequisite for experiencing grace.