You’ll Always Get a Refill
The Juice Spill
Larry stopped preaching. He was ready to offer communion, the Lord’s Supper. He pulled out his loaf of bread. He opened his grape juice bottle and poured it into a large cup.
But as he was praying, the wind picked up. The Spirit blew in.
With one breath, Larry’s notes fluttered, hitting the cup, and knocking it over.
The juice spilled on the ground.
Anything can happen at Outdoor Church. This (see “This Stirs Up Grace”) had already happened.
Life happens to all of us.
We think we’re prepared for the next thing, then something else sneaks in first. We say the wrong words. Or our bodies succumb to a germ. It rains on our hike.
Or the Spirit blows in.
And things spill. The juice pours out.
Have we used up our chances? Were our efforts in vain? Are we wasting good grace?
Come Get Your Refill
People may tire of our mishaps. We may get tired of ourselves after stumble upon stumble.
But God never tires of us.
He gives us another chance. Nothing can stop him . . . not the worst sins, not the hardest times, nothing living or dead, thinkable or unthinkable. Absolutely nothing hinders the love God has for us. (Romans 8:35, 38-39).
Grace is never wasted. And we can’t use it up.
For every mess-up, there’s a grace fill-up.
Where offenses add up, grace multiplies even more (Romans 5:20).
We never have to be hopeLESS but can stay hopeFULL if we’ll come get our refills. Collect God’s grace.
Hope starts by believing that God is good. That there’s always more. Always better. Always another chance.
So try again. Even when you want to give up on yourself, don’t give up on God.
Don’t give up on grace.
There’s More
What did Larry do after the grape juice spilled out?
He smiled, despite our nervous laughter in the crowd. He said, “There’s more!”
He pulled out his juice bottle again. He poured it into the cup, and kept right on going.
As Jesus freely poured out his blood 2,000 years ago, he continues to today. It may look like it’s wasted when we see a drop on the ground.
But grace is never drained. Love is never depleted. God is not yet finished.
Keep a heart full of hope because we have a God full of grace.
Grace comes with refills.
* * *
When do you most need a grace refill? When I get discouraged, tired, or hungry, I definitely do. Please share in the comments.
What a simple and beautiful reminder that there is indeed always more, Lisa! This was a precious way to begin my Monday, and the Lord really touched my heart through your words.
I’m glad this hits home with you, too, Stacey. As it turns out, our lesson at church yesterday was on God’s MORE.
This subject of grace is what makes me tick. And this lesson is why. never ending. never running out. I’ll take that any day, every day.
I’m with you all the way, Bill. Grace is where it’s at. It’s hard to imagine that God’s grace comes to us in fresh supply every morning, but I thank him that it does!
This is one of your posts that bears repeating, Lisa! The sentence – “Grace comes with refills” is worth every other sentence. I think Christians really often struggle with grace in his or her post-salvation daily living. Jerry Bridges talks about that in his classic work, The Discipline of Grace. Your words here are also needed because as believers we can slide toward more judgment than we want to admit about those who have fallen and fallen again. Great post!
Thank you, Pam. Oh, how I love Jerry Bridges’ works on grace! I was late in discovering him, but once I did, I understood why so many people appreciated his writings. We can never get too much grace!
YES!!! 100% yes! I love this. What a beautiful illustration and reminder of how God’s grace has endless refills!
And I think the refill offer for popcorn at the movie theaters is exciting. They’ve got nothing on God! 🙂
How timely this is, Lisa, as I’m savoring {and talking about} Max Lucado’s book, Grace.
Beautiful. We come thirsty, don’t we …
That is indeed beautiful timing, Linda. That’s just like God. I love Max Lucado’s gentle writings about love and grace and God’s goodness. Hopping over to your blog next!
I needed this today, Lisa. Gary, my hubby, just told me that he’s been going to a doc who told him initially he was in our insurance’s network. But now we find out he is not or has not for some time. So we owe about $9000 in out of network expenses. Gary is going to try and fight this or figure out a way to lessen the amount. But it has floored me and I need more of God’s grace to stay hopeful and not discouraged. Now I’m headed to your post that LMML highlighted! Can’t wait!
Ouch! That is indeed tough news to hear, Beth! I pray that y’all can figure out a way to get this worked out. What a devastating number to hear. 🙁 But yes, grace, grace, and more grace is needed. Bring it on, Jesus.
Very well written! I appreciated the insights you shared soo much. So much Truth and Wisdom here.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Karen. I’m so grateful that God’s grace never runs out!
“Grace comes with refills.” I love this! We do get so tired of our own stumbling and fumbling, but thank God He is loooooongsuffering and His grace never runs out.
Yes, just yesterday I didn’t handle a situation well with Jeff…and it was immediately following such an awesome worship service at church that was just overflowing with God’s grace and praise. I was disappointed in myself, to say the least. But Grace came to the rescue again and we were able to redeem the situation in the end. God is very patient indeed.
This is a great illustration! I’m so glad that his grace never runs dry but that there is always more!
Me, too, Lesley. Otherwise, I would have used up his grace years ago! I need a bottomless pit of it. 🙂
I just took my communion, maybe dropping on the ground was reminder of Jesus blood, like in Gethesmane, He broke curses and fills us with grace.
Yes, it was a wonderful visual reminder to me of Jesus’s blood falling on the ground from the cross. What looked like a waste ended up being for our very salvation!
I loved this so much: “For every mess-up, there’s a grace fill-up.” This post blessed my socks off. Thanks for sharing on the #LMMLinkup.
You’re welcome, Mary. I’ve enjoyed the #LMMLinkup. Thanks to you and Gayl for hosting!
Lovely story! Looking at myself with Grace-filled eyes I can see more accurately how I have gone astray and how to be better (& be truer to myself as well as to Jesus). I need Grace (or something) now when I have so much work and other challenges in front of me. Something to guide me through.
When we can see ourselves through Grace-filled eyes, we are closer to seeing how the Father sees. I’m still not very good at it myself, but it is helpful when I can do it. I’m glad you are discovering it too. May he send lots of grace to you during this time of work challenges, David.
Grace comes with refills! Love that and the illustration. Thanks, Lisa.
Thanks, Debbie. I just refilled my water glass, which was another reminder to me of grace refills. I love the gazillion metaphors we can find in our everyday lives for how God loves us!
Hi friend! Your words always teach me and touch me at the same time. I need to know there is an abundance of grace because I am one who spills things often. Thank you for this truth.
I wanted to make sure you knew that the #TellHisStory linkup is still going. It is now at my place: mary geisen.com and the linkup opens on Tuesdays at 5:00 PM EST. I would love to see you there.
I make a lot of grace spills myself, so I’m thankful there’s always more where that comes from.
Thanks for telling me about #TellHisStory linkup. No, I didn’t know you were hosting it now! I appreciate you letting me know; I’ll gladly join in. I appreciated all the years that Jennifer hosted us.
Thanks for linking up!
“For every mess-up, there’s a grace fill-up.” Such a good reminder that He provides grace liberally and freely. I want to do the same!
Yes, it is a great challenge to us to give as we’ve been given. All those refills are meant to recycle through us and out to others. Thanks for that, Joanne!
This was the perfect read for tonight. Three of our students got caught with drugs today. It’s so difficult to extend grace and allow natural consequences to happen. The grace happens when I keep on loving them even though they messed up–and I keep helping them even as they suffer their consequences.
Oh, I’m sorry to hear about the three students, Anita. 🙁 I can imagine it’s very disheartening to discover things like that after you all work so hard to love on the kids. But yes, continuing to love them, even through the natural consequences, is definitely signs of grace at work. Blessings to you in your ministry, friend!
I love that beautiful reminder that there is always more. So thankful for God’s goodness and His grace that never run out! Thank you for sharing this over at GraceFull Tuesday.
We probably don’t appreciate enough that God is always the God of more, more, more. More goodness, more love, more grace. We are blessed to be his. Thanks, Ronja.
Beautiful words of encouragement, Lisa! Words I needed to hear today. It is so hard to grasp that His grace never runs out ~ I compare it to the temporary, limited things in this life, but it is oh, so much more! Boundless and endless, praise His name. Thank you for this much-needed reminder.
I’m glad this blessed you, Cheryl. We can never hear too much or too often about grace! We all live and breathe by it.
I am so grateful that His grace and love never run out! Something that I remind myself almost daily is that He is the well that never runs dry. Thanks for sharing!
Sarah
wholeheartedwanderings.com
I was listening to Matt Maher’s song yesterday, Your Love Defends Me, and the line about wells really moved me.
“You are my joy, You are my song
You are the well, the One I’m drawing from”
Yes, I’m thankful, too, that his well never runs dry! Thanks, Sarah.
Praise the Lord!! This gave me such joy, Lisa, thank you! I read “we are all partakers of grace” this morning and now I’m picturing a shared cup refilled!
“A shared cup refilled” – what a beautiful picture of grace. Thanks for sharing that, Bethany. I love when the Lord speaks to us in different places about the same gift.
I loved this Lisa! What a reminder of God’s grace.
Thanks, Debbie. Grace is a subject we never tire of hearing about or receiving!
Grace is never drained. Thank you for the reminder. Don’t know why but I often find it easier to offer grace to others..even complete strangers…than I do to those I live with and even myself. I need to daily “pour refills” for those closest to me.
You make a good point, Jennifer. Sometimes we’re the last ones that we’ll give grace to. I’m glad God is patient with us as we learn these lessons in life.
Wow. Awesome analogy!
Way to drive home the power of His grace!
I want all the grace refills I can get. 🙂 Thanks, Floyd.
Great post Lisa, we can never drain grace and His love, such good wholesome freeing thoughts. I am working with a women now who is always thinking God is tired of her coming to Him with her problems. I think I will copy your post for her to read. Thanks.
Aw, it is sad when we think that God gets tired of us for our weaknesses. 🙁 WE can get tired of them, but God has so much patience and grace. I pray that your friend will see how faithful God is by seeing how faithful you are to her, Betty. God bless you as you minister to her.
What inspiration to read tonight. And I love his reaction – there is more! I could almost hear him. I have a friend who always says. God is always More. Your post today reminded me of this important truth. Thank you
What a beautiful phrase your friend has: “God is always More.” Thanks for sharing that here, Jean. We had a sermon on the more of God just this past Sunday. It was so powerful!
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