What is sustaining grace?

"not grace to bar what is not bliss, nor flight from all distress. but this: the grace that orders our trouble and pain and then in the darkness is there to sustain." john piper

i love that. that is our God who provides such grace. my ipod is usually on shuffle in my kitchen and so sometimes it runs across a sermon by one of my favorites...piper, keller, driscoll, or robertson. for some reason it has played this one by piper about sustaining grace two days in a row and i need to hear this Gospel that does not promise a life of comfort and ease, but does sustain us. my life is not especially hard at the moment, but i can become short-sighted and forget that all of life and its day to day grind is sovereignly ordained by my good Savior to sustain and keep my faith for the ultimate purpose of glorifying God.

i just finished reading "The Prodigal God" by tim keller. go read this book. it is such a careful and winsome look at the parable of the two sons (also known as the Prodigal Son). he makes the point that the parable is just as much about the older son who does everything "right" as it is about the younger who squanders away his inheritance with carnal living. both sons are distanced from the Father-because no matter how hard we try, doing it all "right" is still not good enough and shot-through with brokenness and sin. the Father in the parable (representing God, of course) is "prodigal" in that He recklessly pours His grace out for both of them. keller then talks about how the human race is really a tribe of exiles...longing for home...which is where our Father is. i loved this book...i'd post some memorable quotes, but i already loaned it out.

name the artist:
In every station, new trials and troubles call for more grace than I can afford
Where can I go but to my dear Savior for mercy that pours from boundless stores
Grace upon grace every sin repaired every void restored, you will find Him there
In every turning He will prepare you with grace upon grace
He made a way for the fallen to rise.
Perfect in glory and sacrifice. In sweet communion, my need He supplies grace that keeps and guards my life
To Thee I run now with great expectations to honor you with trust like a child
My hopes and desires seek a new destination and all that you ask, your grace will provide.