sinners say i do (book quote 8)

From When Sinners Say "I Do," by Dave Harvey, on grace...

The grace of God did not simply appear; it brought along a job description. For the Christian, grace is here to teach us how to live in the unique, individual, moment-by-moment lives we all lead... Grace is a permanent fixture in the life of every Christian, a divine force constantly on the job, a 24/7 truth applier standing over all we do. Grace is the teacher-turned-coach that insists we run toward God (p. 140, emphases mine).

Our marriages play out in a historical waiting room between Jesus' first coming and his final return. Paul calls that waiting room "the present age."

Paul is keeping our hope where it ultimately belongs - in Christ. This life, friends, is not really about you and me at all. It's about God's glory expressed through us. In this waiting room, God promises sanctification, a pattern of God-glorifying overall spiritual growth brought about by the power of his persistent grace. But in this life he does not promise to subdue every sin, strengthen every weakness, create unbroken harmony in your marriage, or cure every ailment.

In the present age we cooperate with God's persistent sanctifying grace to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. We understand that some sins, challenges, difficulties, and weaknesses may never be totally overcome, and that all change takes time. But because grace is so powerful, thorough, and comprehensive, even this waiting is for our good.

Waiting works things into our souls and our marriages that nothing else can... I often want change in my marriage to be immediate; I want change in my spouse to be immediate. I want it to be like hitting the delete key on my computer.

But God is not a Mr. Fixit spiritual handyman armed with duct tape and superglue. He is a patient craftsman who lavishes attention on the smallest detail. The creation of character that exhibits godliness and self-control is crafted slowly over time (p. 143-144, some emphases mine).