The more you know the less you feel
Some pray for others steal
Blessings not just for the ones who kneel ... luckily
-- U2, "City of Blinding Lights"

Grace has been something that has fascinated me for probably the past two years or more. Beyond the unfathomable grace of the love of God in JESUS His Son, the most striking form of grace to me is what theologians call "common grace."

The reason that sort of grace is "common" is because it's common to all of humanity; it's common to the whole world. God restrains sin so we can live relatively normal lives; He gives us a beautiful universe to behold; He gives us talents to share; He gives us meaningless, but enjoyable, entertainment; He gives us deep, stirring books; soul-soothing music; and friends and family to enjoy life with.

And in this day, some 500 years or so after Gutenberg, He gives us Holy Scripture, cheap and accessible to millions of people. Before, oh, three years ago, I never really thought about the fact that for the first 1500 years or so of Christianity's existence, an accessible copy of the Bible was nonexistent to the average layman. It's no coincidence that the Reformation and the advent of mechanical printing (another common grace, I think) went nearly hand-in-hand.

The next time you breath the free air, read the Bible, or listen to Pachelbel's Canon, think about God and His common grace, because even His common grace is truly uncommon.

She carries a pearl in perfect condition
What once was hurt
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things
-- U2, "Grace"