Accepting Grace

Written by an undergraduate student on Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

This past spring break, I traveled to Guatemala on a medical mission trip. The organization that I traveled with had many projects in this country, and one of them was constructing wells in areas that desperately needed them. After hearing all week about how amazing this well was, I developed pretty high expectations. When my group finally visited it, I was a bit underwhelmed. This well was simply a concrete cylinder protruding from the ground with a metal spigot covered by some plywood and cloth. Initially, I failed to see what all the excitement was about. Then, a member of my group explained the massive impact that this well had. Built on the property of a woman and her son, this well had transformed the lives of hundreds of people. The family and the surrounding families had received a long-lasting, sustainable source of clean drinking water, which had the power to free them from the water-borne illnesses so common in this area, the long, arduous trips to wells much farther away, and the poor hygiene that is a side effect of living in certain conditions.

Jesus is the water of life that rejuvenated a dry, sin-ravished world. He cleansed us from the sins that tarnished and wounded our souls. He was human, He was tempted, and He was afraid, but He never sinned. Full of trust, He followed His Father’s will, and in turn, was exalted.  In an awe-inspiring fulfillment of God’s plan that began with that original Good Friday and culminated three days later with the Resurrection, Jesus was the atonement for a fallen world.

However, even 2000 years later, many of us still feel the pain and burdens of sin. Caught up in our failures, it’s easy to forget that Jesus already carried the Cross and reconciled us with God. He is like the well in Masagua, Guatemala: a never-ending source of renewal, healing, and life. The cool thing about wells is that they can be built wherever there is need, since groundwater is present beneath virtually all land on earth. If you dig deep enough, you will be able to find clean water. In all areas of our lives, this “living water” is present just below the surface, found with just a bit of digging. Jesus is standing with open arms, ready to take us into His embrace, forgiving and healing us. All we have to do is to accept His grace.

“But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” -John 4:14

Questions for Reflection:
In what areas of your life can you open yourself up to God’s mercy and healing?
How can you better trust in the Lord’s will, even if the current road is difficult?