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Last summer I had the privilege of going on my first-ever Missions trip to Navojoa, Mexico. During this trip, we were able to serve by doing several different events and projects, one of which was contributing to building a church, and regardless of our lack of knowledge in construction, I thought we did a pretty amazing job (humble brag but without the humble). Throughout this trip, we as a group had great moments to connect and learn more about the Navajo people, and the impact, both spiritually and experientially during this trip, was absolutely amazing. As I was thinking back on this mission trip later on in the year, I was encouraged to think about the things that we were able to accomplish while being there. Whether it was building the church or getting to connect with both adults and kids at VBS, I couldn’t help but feel thankful for the amount of impact that was made both personally and hopefully as a group in just a short five days of being there. Now, as I thought further into the trip, I couldn’t help but realize that, although the trip made a major, maybe even "life-changing" impact in that one week alone, the trip's impact didn’t stop there. Even after being home, I was noticing how the trip's impact was still teaching and shaping me in my day-to-day life.

A simple example of this is the reminder of having gratitude. We are blessed beyond measure with both the resources and opportunity we have here in America. On the flip side, the conviction I felt was the complaining and selfish spirit I subconsciously have and the lack of perspective I have on the world around me. The point of me saying this is that this trip not only made a "life-changing" first experience in my life during that one week but furthermore it continued to impact and teach me things about myself and my God throughout my day-to-day life even though the trip was over. This reminded me a lot of how the grace of God works in our lives.  I am encouraged and challenged every time I read  Titus 2:11–12. "11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;"
These verses remind me that God’s grace not only offers the "life-changing" eternal gift of salvation but also offers small, day-by-day changes in this present world. In verse 11, Paul reminds us how God’s grace brings salvation to all men (the “big moment” life change), but in verse 12, we see that God’s grace doesn’t stop there; it TEACHES us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust and teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. After the “big moment” life change of salvation, God’s grace then continues to change us in our lives starting RIGHT NOW.

As I understand this great and somewhat daunting task of seeking a life of holiness and becoming more like our savior, I’m encouraged to know that it's not up to us to make it happen. If God’s grace teaches us to live these out and it's a command of scripture to live this, then that means God’s grace will enable us to do so. God’s grace not only has the power to save us from eternal damnation but also has the power to enable us to live godly lives starting right now here on earth. The change may have begun at the “big life-changing moment” of salvation, but catch this, it doesn’t pause there and then resume when we meet Christ. I fear in my own life and I’m sure in yours as well that it's easy to fall into the mindset that God’s grace has given me the gift of salvation, which means "I'll live my life, go to heaven, and that's when I’ll be like my Savior." And we miss the full power that God’s grace offers us. Although yes, it's true that we will not be fully glorified and perfected until the day we see Christ, the enjoyment of experiencing the process of changing grace doesn’t begin when we go to heaven.  Life change begins right now while we live in the flat state of Ohio. In all seriousness, I challenge us to be people who are being taught by grace every day. Let's be a people who deny ungodliness and worldly lust and live righteously and soberly by God’s grace TODAY. Let's be peculiar, set-apart people in this world who enjoy the fullness of God’s grace in this life TODAY. Just like my trip to Mexico not only brought a "big moment change in life” but continued to change me even after being home. More importantly, let the powerful, endless grace of God not just change our eternity, but change our day to day.

Serving Together,
Luke Black