Subject: Echoes of Grace: A Journey of Action and Assurance (06/05/'24) -Message

Subject: Echoes of Grace: A Journey of Action and Assurance Dear Friends, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share with you a poetic reflection inspired by the theologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Karl Barth. This piece, titled "Echoes of Grace: A Journey of Action and Assurance," explores the dynamic interplay between active discipleship and divine assurance. Grace, a divine melody, Echoes through the corridors of time, Notes carried by winds of history, Resonating in hearts of saints and sinners. Bonhoeffer stands amid the storm, Eyes aflame with costly grace, Calling us to walk the narrow path, To bear the weight of discipleship, To rise against tides of injustice, For grace, he cries, is not cheap, It demands our all, every breath, In pursuit of a kingdom not of this world. Barth, serene in his sanctuary, Speaks of grace as a gift unearned, A celestial assurance of divine favor, Grace flowing freely from God’s heart, Independent of our striving, failings, An anchor in turbulent seas, Proclaiming the certainty of salvation, A call to rest in sovereign embrace. Together they weave a tapestry of faith, Threads of action and contemplation intertwined, Bonhoeffer’s fiery call to arms, Barth’s soothing hymn of constancy, A harmony singing of a balanced life, Where active discipleship meets divine assurance. In this dance of grace, we find our place, Feet on ground of costly love, Eyes lifted to heavens of unmerited favor, Engaged in the world, resting in God’s hands, Called to act, strive, love, Knowing beneath it all lies grace, A foundation unshakable, eternal. The future, bright with transformation, Beckons with hopeful light, Guided by twin stars of Bonhoeffer and Barth, We journey onward, disciples of living faith, Carrying the torch of costly grace, Illuminated by divine love’s assurance, Balancing the call to action with peace of God, In a world yearning for grace’s touch. May this reflection inspire you to find balance in your journey of faith, embracing both the call to active discipleship and the peace that comes from divine assurance. Blessings, Pastor Steven G. Lee (June 5, 2024)