Catch Me

My mother's name is Annette. Trust me, we've gotten plenty of net-related jokes out of that over the years (so much that when we taught the gospel of Matthew in Bible bowl a few years ago, I used my poor mother as an illustration for the children to remember that the apostles were "casting a net into the water". It worked, too).

Once upon a time, the minster was giving a sermon series on grace. One week, he told us that we are not under law, but under grace. The next week, when talking about the nature of grace, the minister said, "Grace is a net." Which led my father to make a rather elaborate joke about my mother being in charge-- We're "under" grace, Grace = Annette, etc. I think the minister laughed because he was so happy to hear that my father had been paying attention to the sermon for two weeks in a row.

But I love that. That grace is a net, not that my father has a warped sense of humour. Because I cling to the safety of the ground, but I yearn to venture into the high places. To take risks with my Christian walk. I want to leap out, holding the trapeze of faith, and see how far I can soar through the air-- perfectly safe in the knowledge that if I slip off, or miss my jump, or freeze up in terror, that I will land on a net of grace.

Do I dare leap higher? Trust in God more? Love my husband more deeply? Pray for my family more fervently? Be quick to encourage my classmates? Use lots of adverbs in my blogging, and see if anyone notices?

One of my favourite Christian songs is "If I Stand", by Rich Mullins. He said it so much better than I ever could:

So if I stand let me stand on the promise 

That you will pull me through 

And if I can't, let me fall on the grace 

That first brought me to You 

And if I sing let me sing for the joy 

That has born in me these songs 

And if I weep let it be as a man 

Who is longing for his home

So today, and this week, and this month, and this year: I want to stand. But if I fall, I can do so with confidence that God has provided a net.

Grace.