The Sound of Grace

and I used to think that

there was some great deliberation

Way before all of this…

some war room briefing

strategic planning party

Conference room 5 minutes

like looking at a board of chess

and They were weighing

and They were measuring

and They, counting up their options

and there was this long slow pause,

deliberation,

wondering, is this the right choice?

cost – benefit analysis

cause and effect

and I think

I used to think about my sin

and I would think about what it cost my Savior

on that cross

and I would think

wow

You must have went into this situation

very cautiously very measured

like You made a pros and cons list

to help the decision-making process

Is this kid really worth it?

I used to think that way,

but now I just think that You laughed

I think that You would say,

here is a way to save,

and it is perfect

and without question God, You would redeem

without fail and You’d just laugh

I consider that great overflow of love

among the Father Spirit Son

each One in perfect love.

do you know that saying

about perfect love casting out fears?

so those painstaking deliberations I once thought They had, I no longer think They had,

I think They just said ‘ey Let’s go get ’em

I think They just laughed

And it was probably a deep deep laugh

a laugh of joy

Thunderous

a laugh of absurdity at the situation

At the notion that the enemy

would have God in checkmate in anyway

Laughable

and that little giggly

laugh of anticipation the child has before you tickle,

that you might have when you see the setup,

Start guessing what the punchline might be

– get ready for it

I think They laughed without a worry

without a hesitation

for God so loved the world that He gave recklessly. unless you’re in love it makes no sense

And there’s no sense in making that move

Unless they change and move to you first

But this? No this was a lover’s laugh

Stand out in the middle of the rain

With a boom box blasting the favorite song of your love into their window laugh

What does grace sound like?

It’s that laugh yes, that effervescence…

But it’s also the work.

And I believe that, before it all, yes, They laughed

But I wonder if the sound changed, when the Son…

Left home?

At the incarnation like, Dad I’ll be right back in….

33 years…. And a cross.

And in the grand scheme of things it just may be a moment or a flicker

But it is the moment at the center of all moments

The flicker into flame of the truest joy…

All time proceeding and preceding

The Cross section of the 4 plus dimensions

Or 10 plus dimensions

Or 26 plus dimensions

To think that this perfect union of Trinity would be broken for a season for us.

The pivotal pivot point

What does grace sound like?

Hearing the words I’m sorry and forgiving

And even forgiving before those words are given.

Like, while we were yet sinners…

I believe They once laughed regarding the plan of our salvation…. But then there was the Garden of Gethsemane… in the Garden….

Grace?

The sound of friends sleeping when you ask them to watch and you don’t put them on blast.

The sound of blood red sweat falling in a garden…

Watering seeds of life

the words if it is possible, yet… not my will, but yours be done.

Grace?

Dying for love.

Being killed for love.

Grace? Sounds like

Put your swords away

Afters whispers of betrayal,

and restraining of the angels that could be called for vengeance but are commanded to stay home,

hold ground, because He would be there soon.

For My Kingdom is not of this world

Grace?

Like silent forgiveness for liars, false accusers, and thieves.

Not a mumbling word

Like the silence of a lamb led to slaughter

Like the silence in the slaughter

Like flesh torn by whips,

Like slaps on the face

Like sham trials

Like being spat on

Like going through the dying process

Or more like… the being killed process

Like footfalls on the way to Golgotha

Like falling on the way to Golgotha

Like gasping for breath

Like bearing the Cross

Heaven seems so far..

So far away…

Never farther away

From the place of the skull

Like the tearing of clothes

And the beating

Brutally, naked before a crowd

Like the thud of a hammer on nails

And the sound of nails into flesh

Swallowed by the thud of hammer on nails.

Like blood clotting

Like strained muscles…

Like taking the cup

And drinking the cup

The fullness of God’s wrath against the sin of humanity

The absence of His presence

Like Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani

And like

Into thy hands I commend my spirit

Like the temple veil tearing

Like the sky darkening

And enemies laughing because they don’t get it yet.

Like a spear in the side

Like water and blood pouring out

Like dead weight lifted from blood red wood.

Like a body readied for burial.

Remember they brought him myrrh, when He was born?

Like myrrh preparing a body for burial.

Like the Savior of the world being buried

And all of the powers of darkness and death rejoicing because they think they’ve got a prisoner

Trapped in there with them

But that Sinless One?

Oh it’s a whole lot more like

You think I’m trapped in here with all of you?

You’re all trapped in here with Me!

Like the folly of Satan’s mistake catching up to him, the fool.

What does grace sound like? Amazing Grace sound like?

Like taking keys and taking back authority.

Like the power to forgive.

Like death linen unraveling

Like stone on stone as stone rolled away

Like death’s schemes unraveling

Like darkness in the valley of the shadow of death getting all lit up by the rising Son.

Like, I bet you didn’t see that coming?

Gasps of disbelief and the message of

Resurrection.

Like He’s not here anymore.

Like homecoming and home going

The sound of the laughter of a carpenter,

Eating a meal with once sleeping and fretful and denying and scattered friends

A carpenter with

callused hands that healed, but still have their holes

with eyes like fire, burning with God’s heart, with echoes of perfect Union and seeds of Resurrection and righteousness, the birthing of music.

Up from the grave He arose!

And heaven and nature sang!

Of freedom

A freedom that we are free to walk in now

Which is just a foreshadowing of ultimate freedom one day to come

A sampling, a taste test

First fruits of the table He is preparing for us in eternity

Christ in you the hope of Glory

The redemption of our bodies

Funny bones get tickled when I think about it

and I can’t help but produce this sound, of jubilation at the truth of the moment,

naked, bare, and unashamed.

Resurrection.

Death defeated.

The bum.

Perfect love perfected through death and resurrection.

Casting out all fear of embarrassment, a laugh, a guffaw, or maybe a guttural. A Holy moment.

The feeling behind what time was made for, like the decoder ring, the commentary,

the- so you get it now?

and oh the Revelation But you were already laughing because of the very texture of it, getting enough of it without having the bandwidth for comprehending it all, like I need to update my hardware before I can process it or render it in 4k, but the camera was built waiting for that day

As is creation, as are we

Anticipation in celebration

As we get glimpses of it now

In the empty tomb

what grace was won for us!

Resurrection.

Easter morning for we mourners.

Jesus lives in love.

Go do likewise.

Make some noise

Make some joy

Make some grace

It is sweet

It is amazing.

And through the Resurrection of Christ

It is ours

Copyright 2020, John Dorsey

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