Surrounded by Grace

Bass Harbor, ME

"I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;

I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.

You have delivered me from all my troubles,

and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes."

Psalm 54:6-7

Harry is a sternman on a lobster boat. His job is baiting traps, measuring each catch and throwing back undersized lobsters. Like all sternmen, he wears oil coveralls, oil jacket, and muck boots. To get to the boat he's working on, he rows his dingy out and climbs aboard.

One Spring morning, he slipped from the dingy into the icy, bitter water. His boots and oiled overalls filling quickly so he was facing death by drowning or hyperthermia. As a very heavy man rescue is a difficult task

Try as he might, pulling himself into the boat became impossible and he began sinking.

It's not hard to imagine the fear he's experiencing in the icy Spring Atlantic waters. 

Several other captains and sternmen see his situation and rescue him by dragging him through the water to the shore.

Harry was, by the Grace of God according to Psalm 54: "delivered from all his troubles".

I listened to the telling of Harry's story and began reflecting on God's Grace surrounding us.

I am aware of Wesley's teachings about Prevenient, Justifying, and Sanctifying Grace defining God working to free us to live lovingly for others even in our imperfect lives.

I reflected on Harry being surrounded by Grace and considered God's Grace living in the hearts of his rescuers prompting them to act.

It seems to me that just as God's Grace surrounded Harry, so it surrounds each of us.

Therefore, with confidence that God's Grace surrounds each of us, even if we are unaware of it, prompts me to realize our need to act according to Psalms 54:6

"I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;

I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good."