Reflections By Rev. Dan Bogre

Dear Friends and Family of RRUMC,

My family and I went to Niagara Falls between Christmas and New Years in December.

First of all, I had no idea it was only three hours and twenty minutes away. We were there in no time. We spent our first night on the American side and the second two nights on the Canadian side. I was amazed at how close you can get to the actual water of the falls, especially on the American side. At one of the railed overlooks, I know that I was no more than 10 feet away from the roaring water going over the edge. I could not get over the power, the noise, and the beauty of the whole thing.

As I stood there for quite some time just watching the water go over the falls, I could not get over that it just keeps coming. I read one sign that said the actual amount of water going over the falls is around 50% of what it should be because of all the ways the Niagara River is tapped and dammed upstream. That is 50%? WOW! I started praying and thanking God for that incredible gift that He has given us in the beauty and power of Niagara Falls.

The water reminded me of something. God’s grace and blessings flow into our lives the same way. In John 1:16, it says, “From his fullness, we have all received grace upon grace.” From God’s fullness his grace never stops flowing into our lives. It is grace upon grace, like the waves rolling up on the shore or the water constantly rolling over the falls.

I invite you to imagine yourself standing under the falls of God’s grace upon grace. Picture yourself being washed over and drenched in the grace that God has for you. That is what he did at Christmas. Sending His Son was to let us know that his grace will forever flow into our lives if we will just choose to stand under it and welcome it. The picture I have attached is from the Skylon Tower on the Canadian side, 47 stories up. My family and I had dinner there on our last night before returning home the next morning.

That picture is of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. May it remind you that, in God’s fullness, you have received grace upon grace.

Peace and Blessings,

Rev. Dan