Good people deserve good stuff and bad people deserve bad stuff. It's logical enough. The idea that bad people get good stuff offends me.
What I forget is that the entire story of the Bible is not about how God has blessed good people, but about how He has blessed bad ones.
As someone has said: This is a one-way story of love.
I am continually tempted to put fences around grace. I'd like the fence to be low enough for me to step over - but once over, I yearn for it to be waist high - shoulder high - even head high - for those coming behind me.
Grace scares me to death. It is completely reckless. Irresponsible. It leaves me naked. Suspicious. Wary. Too good to be true. There's a catch somewhere.
But no. There is no fine print. No conditions. No trick warranty. No footnotes too small to read. No bait-and-switch. Extravagant. Scandalous. Outrageous. Incredible. Undeserved. Shameful.
Jesus took your rap sheet and put it on Himself. Your record has been transferred to Him and vice versa.
Finished.
And be blessed.
What I forget is that the entire story of the Bible is not about how God has blessed good people, but about how He has blessed bad ones.
As someone has said: This is a one-way story of love.
I am continually tempted to put fences around grace. I'd like the fence to be low enough for me to step over - but once over, I yearn for it to be waist high - shoulder high - even head high - for those coming behind me.
Grace scares me to death. It is completely reckless. Irresponsible. It leaves me naked. Suspicious. Wary. Too good to be true. There's a catch somewhere.
'Grace scares me to death.'
But no. There is no fine print. No conditions. No trick warranty. No footnotes too small to read. No bait-and-switch. Extravagant. Scandalous. Outrageous. Incredible. Undeserved. Shameful.
Jesus took your rap sheet and put it on Himself. Your record has been transferred to Him and vice versa.
Finished.
And be blessed.
3 comments:
You know how someone will do a terrible crime and family and friends will say that they don't know what happened, because "He was a good person?" Well, I always thought of myself as a good person doing bad things, but deep-down I have a good heart. In some ways that is true, but that's too easy. It is a little bit like giving myself a pass. I was a wretched, selfish, and deeply sinful person for about 2 years. Don't ask me why God gave me another chance to change it all. I never deserved it. THAT is grace. I am so lost without Him. This time I am running with this second chance. Hopefully, straight into His arms when I die. It's a lot to look forward to. This life is just a test drive...the real deal is in Heaven.
I was having one of the worst days I'd had in a long time, and I had actually asked God earlier tonight why other people who aren't Christian seem to have everything going their way. I finally got around to checking my email and reading your daily post. Talk about God answering when you least expect it.
Thank you for your daily posts - they are a blessing to me.
I was having one of the worst days I'd had in a long time, and I had actually asked God earlier tonight why other people who aren't Christian seem to have everything going their way. I finally got around to checking my email and reading your daily post. Talk about God answering when you least expect it.
Thank you for your daily posts - they are a blessing to me.
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