This was written by my dear friend Melanie Graves. Her honest struggle with grace inspires me and I hope it inspires you.

Grace. That’s what has been on my mind all day. The sermon this morning was on grace. God’s grace has given me new life. He continues to transform me daily and I am humbled. Today shook me. Deeply. I was overwhelmed with how amazing God is that He extends his grace to ALL people. All people, no exception, just ask Him. All have an opportunity to receive the gift of life through his sacrifice (Romans 5:8-11).

What really got me…as I prayed and rec’d the message from the Spirit…”Who would I withhold grace from, and if I am one to share the Good News of Christ, who would I resist sharing with? Who wouldn’t I reach out to in the name of Jesus or accept in love? OUCH!! That hit me so hard. The answer… child molesters and/or rapist. Plain and simple. If I was speaking to someone who said they had repented of their sin of either of those two things, would I be able to engage them? I know I am around people who have committed these sins, repentant or not, but don’t realize who they are. Statistics alone prove that to be true. It was painful to me…deep in my heart. The truth…I would turn and walk away from them. And yet…God forgives me of my sin; extends his grace to me; and charges me to love others because he first loved me; to share the Gospel to all.

I realized how I can sing, pray, testify, and otherwise, do all I know how to do in loving others and sharing the Gospel daily. It is a joy. I know I fall short lots of times in lots of ways. I can sing how amazing His grace is but if a repentant or non-repentant child molester or rapist came and stood before me or next to me in worship/wherever and spoke their sin out loud…I would be undone…frozen…fearful…panic…who knows what! Seriously, think about that for a minute. It is easy when I sing/speak generally about loving and accepting, but then bring that into my up close and personal world and it becomes immediately difficult. You know? I played this scenario and others out this morning, during and after worship, all the while, the Spirit very heavy on me to deal with this revelation.

My friend was in the car with me and prayed for me as we were driving; we talked; parked the car and prayed again. I was undone at this realization and how strong it pulled at me. I dropped her off and headed home….

But God…but God!

God was with me at church in worship through the Holy Spirit; He was in my car driving home; He was sitting with me and my friend as we prayed; He was with me as I drove off… I turned up the music and the song playing…You Are My King (Amazing Love). That is just funny how God is! I turned it up loud and began praying that God would reveal to me all that I needed to see about this judgement I have for these people who sin and to deal with me; rebuked the devil; prayed that the Lord would “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and [I] take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor 10:5); and more.

He convicted me in that 3 mile drive home that He is the vine and I am the branch, apart from Him, I can do nothing, but with Him, I can do all things; greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world! I would struggle, resist, and walk away from a child molester or rapist, repentant or not, but through God, I am able to share the Gospel. It has to be that way. It will happen. I know it will…which is why I am convicted in this way. I cannot with hold sharing from anyone. I cannot limit and judge that way. I cannot say I will share with “all” people…except these. God will do the work, the talking, the loving, the accepting, the ministering. I am the vessel. Through Him all things.

I sat in my car in my garage and cried. Thankful for the Holy Spirit and his truth to me. God has called me to work in the trenches of the abused, assaulted, and those who have no hope. I will be their advocate. Always. But I have to be without judgement to believe that all are able to come to the table and eat. All are able to receive the Amazing Love and grace through Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for us. withholding nothing as a minister of the Gospel. It will be a prayer of willingness and continued humility to walk in this full knowledge of what He has shown me. It is my joy to honor him. In all I do.