Acts 14:17 (CSB)
although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.
A few years ago, Melissa and I were in the car when we saw a startling sight unfold before our very eyes. As another car was crossing before us at a stop sign, a teenage boy was riding on top of the car. The sunroof was open, and the boy had already lifted one leg out and was in the process of lifting the other leg out, all the while flapping his arms and laughing as he was teetering on the very verge of falling off the car.
We could see the other kids inside the car laughing and grabbing at his legs as the car was going at what seemed to be about 35 to 45 mph. "Ignorance," was the only word that came out of my mouth. This young guy was totally oblivious to the thread by which his life hung; if he had only recognized the possible tragedy that surrounded that moment of his naive daring, he would have been trembling rather than laughing.
One bump, one swerve, one blowout, and the boy’s life could either come to a tragic end or be severely altered for the worse. That boy was under the assumption that the car, the driver, the tires, the wheels, and the road would all align perfectly and keep him safe.
Apparently, it all did. I watched as they went over the bridge, and he slipped back through the sunroof into the protection of the car. He lived to see another day, and hopefully he grew wiser and more cautious.
We’re all guilty of taking God’s common grace for granted from time to time. We live our lives on the brink of eternity, all the while oblivious to the fragility of our existence. What keeps your heart beating? That last breath you just took—who provides you with that? We drive down the road at breakneck speeds, glancing at our phones, trusting that God's grace will guide us safely past the oncoming traffic. Stop and think about this for a moment: We trust that everything is going to go perfectly when driving down a two-lane highway at 70 mph with cars passing just a few feet away in the opposite direction. Like the boy atop the car, we assume that everything is going to maintain its proper course.
It would be wise for all of us not to mistake God's common grace for permission to live carelessly. We would do well today to recognize His common grace in all things, little by little, in a way that shows appreciation for such love. As Kingdom citizens, we should cherish and respect the goodness of God as we experience every moment of every day. Even when the world is falling apart around us, the Kingdom of God is always held together by His grace and mercy.
In our moments of ignorance, God's grace never ceases to flow to us. Take a moment to thank God for His common grace, which has been with you all your life and brought you to this moment. Make it a point today to pause during your day and look around and thank Him for the good things in your life.
James 1:17 (CSB): Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Common Grace: the grace of God that provides and sustains life for all people, regardless of their faith or relationship with Him.