A Brief Teaching and a New Poem - each entitled "Grace Unfettered"

GRACE UNFETTERED

(An Oxymoron & Thoughts of Incredible Blessings)

Grace Unfettered –

“fetters” – an Old English term for “chains” –

          hence, unfettered, or unchained = set free

“grace” – from the Greek –literally “gift” –

          hence, grace, as (is) a gift = something undeserved, unearned,                    for which one did no work, given freely by one who gives with                           “an open hand,” that is, expecting nothing in return.

“grace” in the Greek – charis – from which we derive, from a `         transliteration to English, the root for “charismatic.”          In 1 Cor. 12 the operations, manifestations, and administrations of the Holy Spirit are   often referred to as the “gifts” of the Spirit, said word “gifts” inserted   by the English translators where no Greek word is found in the text   that became the focal point of the Charismatic Renewal.

(A charismatic person, then, is a person ‘gifted’ with a natural appeal or attraction that tends to draw others to him or her, i. e. a “natural born” leader.)

oxymoron – a phrase comprised of two words that mean polar opposites, e.g. “jumbo shrimp.”  (Those with a sarcastic sense of humor and a   personal ax to grind use the example of “Army Intelligence.”  Said    examples can either make us chuckle and shake our head, or they can   irritate us enough to make us grind our teeth.)

transliteration – a letter for letter equivalence from one language to another, in this case from the Greek alphabet to the letter equivalents    of the English alphabet.  For example, “baptize” from the Greek         transliterated from baptizo, literally means “to immerse.”  In our         current study,  charis,  that means “gift,” became” grace.”  In each  example, historically a new English word was “born.”

Grace unfettered – grace, the gift God gives was never “chained” or bound.  It has always been in the heart of the Father, and He has always given it freely to those He loves.  Like any gift, it must be both freely given and freely received!  The Poem “Grace Unfettered” follows –

GRACE UNFETTERED

As a bird held in the hands of one who loves it,

So grace was held in the heart of the Father.

She was born, and She grew feeling the rhythm of His Love.

Released from His heart, she flies to hearts of the ones He Loves.

Grace hovers near. Do we hear Her sweet “cooing?”

Her wings flutter to the rhythm of the Father’s beating heart.

Do we resonate to, and with, that Divine cadence?

Do our hearts yearn to dance with His?

The Gift is given; His Love poured out in Full!

Do we stand with downcast eyes and clenched fists,

Or do we rise up with eyes uplifted and open hands?

Do we shoo her away who brings the Precious Gift,

Or do we draw Her near and warmly embrace His Love?

Grace unfettered cannot then be chained.

Freely given – He owed rebels naught.

Freely birthed as unbound Love,

She fills us who receive Her to the Full!

And continuing to pour into our hearts,

She overflows to fly free yet again –

This time She flies from our hearts

To the peoples whom Father loves.

Undeserved, unreserved torrents of His River of Life

From the Father’s Heart and Throne do Flow.

We drink in freely His Love, His Life.

Our bellies full to the brim, She overflows.

Yea, out of our bellies, our Inner Man Reborn, She rushes forth.

Hallelujah is her song, Thanksgiving is Her refrain,

Forgiveness is Her Name.  May His Life Flow Evermore

To His Glory – His Grace.