Ground Hogs Day

Dear Friend,

Today, anxiously, we discover whether we will have six more weeks of winter, or winter will end on March 21st, approximately six weeks hence. All due to the traditions of Dwight Schrute's fore-bearers, the fine Pennsylvania Dutch. Evidently, the original tradition was based on a bear seeing it's shadow. That seems more sporting. Sending out the intern from Channel 12 to rouse a Kodiak out of its den mid winter nap would definitely generate material for sweeps week.

But Ground Hogs day. Life on repeat. Hard Reset. Default Setting. Seems like too much of thing, doesn't it. Not sure about you, but I notice that when my tank is empty-- when I'm tired or dry or spiritually worn down-- it's easy to go right back to the old defaults. We'd love to talk about progress. Growth. Change. But there are pieces and parts of us with which we'll always struggle.

The Apostle Paul writes,

in order to keep me from being conceited, a thorn in the flesh was given to me... Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it from me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you.

What was this thorn in the flesh? No one knows. Many commentators have guessed. Some have confidently surmised. Surprisingly, Paul's thorn always turns out to be the very same thorn that they have. Why do you suppose that is? I think it's because we don't know how to say that even though Jesus has redeemed us, we still struggle with sin in this life. Even though the grace of God is working upon us, we're still a work in process.

And still, we live in the shadow of a God who loves us. No matter what. And that kind of grace is amazing.