LAW and GRACE

One evening, my husband and I together with our son, drove to the city. We parked the car and walked around. Although summer was round the corner, the weather was simply perfect that evening! As we walked, we observed all kinds of people, the fancy tall buildings and lights and heard the loud rock-style music! We quietly prayed for the salvation of all the people and that the LORD's grace would be extended to each one of them.

Then we realised that we had walked quite a distance and desired to get a drink or a snack before striding back to the car. Most cafe`s and restaurants were closing as it was passed 9.30 at night. A hotel restaurant seemed to be open and Previn, our son, ran in to check whether they would get us a drink. He returned saying. "They can only offer cold drinks. They cannot give us hot drinks." We were disappointed and were about to turn back when the manager of that restaurant noticed us and asked what we wanted. We said that we were wanting to have some coffee. Then he asked us exactly what kind of coffee we desired to have. We said all three of us would like to have a cup of half strength Latte each. He lovingly said, "We can organise that for you, come on in"!  We walked in and sat on the comfortable lounge seats of this high class hotel restaurant.

Then one of the waitresses came to us and politely said that they do not serve hot drinks at that time of the day in that restaurant and if at all they did, it would be only to the in-house guests and that too only on special occassion.

We explained to her that the manager indicated to us that he could get the coffee for us. As we waited, thanking the LORD for the comfortable seats and the available hotel toilets, we also lifted up to the LORD in prayer, the staff and the guests there.

The waitress appeared and confirmed our order, as the manager had conveyed it to her. Within minutes, we had the drinks served to us graciously, together with some cookies! Another waitress, who initially made known the rule about the hot drinks to Previn, came to us with glasses of water! She profusely apologised for what she had said to Previn. We responded lovingly, saying that she did her part that was right!

We were very grateful to the LORD and expressed our gratitude to those who served us and  asked the LORD to bless them. We also asked the girl to let the manager know that we were very grateful for his gracious gesture!

That night, while in bed, the whole scene played in my mind and the Holy Spirit brought the following revelation.

The law of that hotel restaurant was that outsiders should not be served hot drinks after a certain time in the evening. The waitresses were good and lawful. The manager was gracious! He overruled the law to meet our need and desire. He had the authority to do so.

The waitresses, then, in submission to their manager, extended that grace to us in action!

GOD is like that manager. We should be like those waitresses, lawful, but not legalistic. While keeping the law, we should also obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit to go beyond the law to extend grace and mercy. 

That is what the LORD has done for us and continues to do for us. We should freely give, as we have freely received!

 Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; 

and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain. 

And the Pharisees said to Him, 

"Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" 

But He said to them, 

"Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, 

he and those with him: 

how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest,

 and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat, except for the priests, 

and also gave some to those who were with him?" 

And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

Mark 2:23-28

Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees 

to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. 

 And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. 

  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 

"Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" But they kept silent. 

And He took him and healed him, and let him go. 

  Then He answered them, saying, 

"Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, 

will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?" 

  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.

Luke 14:1-6

 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, 

and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 

full of grace and truth. 

  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, 

"This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, 

for He was before me.' " And of His fullness we have all received, 

and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, 

but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

  No one has seen God at any time. 

The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, 

He has declared Him.
John 1:14-18

https://youtu.be/CDdvReNKKuk