My Problem With Grace

I was raised Lutheran, and am sort of glad I did somedays.  Lutherans get grace better than most.  For no one was more bothered by their own depravity more than Martin Luther, and no one was more amazed by God’s grace — God’s Redemption Act Covering EVERYTHING — than Luther as well.

I like to downplay my own depravity, and overestimate my ability to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in living a spiritually decent life.  But I am still wretched.  Still prone to wander — daily, or even hourly. I desperately need God’s amazing grace.  And I believe it is mine for the claiming.  I stand under the wings of His grace, covered by the blood of Jesus, bought with a price, loved with an everlasting love and seated in the heavenly realms at the right hand of my savior.

My problem is when it comes to teaching and preaching the Christian life.  This is when grace starts to get in my way. My focus has always majored on “making disciples” and calling Christians to a deeper, more committed walk with God.  ”Count the cost.” “Drop your nets and follow.”  ”The road that leads to life is narrow and few find it,” so keep your eyes on the road lest you fall into either the the ditch of sin or the other ditch of lukewarm half-heartedness.  And so go my graceless, burdensome demands upon my weary hearers.

Looking back I realize that I don’t preach grace enough.  Why?