5-3-2022

 Good Morning All!

           John 1:16; “For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”  

  There are some things about my wife that I don’t think I will ever understand. She doesn’t think that the proper way to spend an evening is to watch Perry Mason or a John Wayne western. She simply cannot see that the funniest movie made is “Blazing Saddles.”  I really can’t fathom her logic on either of these. She will only tolerate “James Bond” and she can take or leave “The Kingston Trio.”  How we ever connected I sometimes wonder but we do share one incredible, intense passion; we both love pizza!

    I think we could eat pizza almost every day. There are enough variations that we could probably manage it. I know I could. I even experiment when I cook pizza and even my failures (which are many!) I can eat and enjoy. The only thing better than pizza for supper is, if you can have some leftover, then you can savor the real breakfast of champions- cold pizza. I know how I am going to make my next pizza. I am going to start with a tomato sauce, then a layer of cheddar cheese. Next will be a layer of Canadian bacon, then a layer of Swiss cheese. Then a layer of pepperoni then a layer of pepperjack cheese. Next, I’ll use a layer of black olives, green olives, onions and pineapple.  I’ll follow that with a layer of gorgonzola cheese. Finally, I’ll put a layer of sausage and cover it with a layer of mozzarella cheese. It will be fantastic!

     You may not share my passion for pizza but there are things that you enjoy, and you love to layer it on. Perhaps it is a cup of coffee and your favorite dessert. Maybe it is the time you spend with family and friends. Maybe it is the comfort of your favorite quilt and a good book. Perhaps it is your favorite old TV show on. There are things that we enjoy ad we savor them as they are layered upon us.

    In our verse, we read where God’s mercy for us, shown to us through Jesus, layers his love upon us; we receive grace upon grace. God luxuriates us with this super helping of his love. We are able to wallow in the wonder of his mercy. Like staying in a warm bed on a cold winter morning, we are given the comfort and the consolation of God’s mercy.  The greatness of this is that it is always available to us. Whenever and wherever we have need, it is available to us and not just grace but grace upon grace. The gift of God’s love, so extravagantly given, that in some ways it would be embarrassing about how much we receive. Even when we don’t always feel it or see it, God’s love, his grace upon grace, is heaped upon us.

    The nature of God, the desire of God is shown to us through Jesus. Through Him we see God’s unparalleled desire to give to us his love in big heaping servings. We are full of his grace which is piled upon us grace upon grace.

Father of all mercies, you pour out upon us your tender love and mercy. We receive grace upon grace. Give us the strength to live in confidence of your truth. May we always receive comfort from your grace. Be with those who feel that are missing this grace. Use us to bring them your most wonderful gift. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret