Unexpected

Words of grace are often unexpected these days. Have you ever done something wrong, hurt someone, and gone to them sheepishly offering an apology expecting correction or a distant and awkward look but instead gotten an "I understand" or an "It's OK" in return? Such a response can take us off guard because our experience tells us that grace is not often extended to those who do wrong.

We live in a society that demands justice and the protection of our rights; and if those rights are infringed upon or stolen, the offended is often quick to hand down judgement and make known the due penalty to the offender. The Declaration of Independence declares the pursuit of happiness as a right granted by the Creator, an unbiblical precept held on to by many Americans. Heaven forbid that anyone would rob us of any of that happiness. How dare they?

We've been conditioned by this type of action and response, expecting lashing out for our failures, anger for imperfection, explosiveness for mistakes. Judgement over mercy. But this is not how the kingdom of God works. Yes, our failures are real, and we may feel we've let God down, but His response is different than what we might expect or be used to.

Consider these responses of the heart of God to those who have failed:

To a woman who has committed adultery, caught in the act, cowering before a belligerent crowd: Jesus tells her that He does not condemn her. ¹

To Peter, a man of many words fueled by passion but short on following through; he denied knowing his Lord: Jesus commissions him to do His work. Feed my sheep. ²

To the prodigal son, the one who squandered and wasted what he thought was his entire inheritance and felt unworthy of his position as a son: his father receives him with open arms and a celebration. ³

To the disciples cowering before God's glory when Elijah and Moses appear with Jesus: words of comfort came saying, "Do not be afraid". ⁴

To you when you fail, when you've let yourself and others down: can you hear His heart for you? "Come to me ..." ⁵

I can remember one dark time during my walk with the Lord when I felt a complete failure, that I'd failed Him miserably, that I'd let Him down one too many times. He spoke these words to me, "My ways are higher than your ways. Do not lean on your own understanding. As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your sin from you." This was the last thing I expected to hear in the muck and mire of my life. Unexpected words of mercy and grace.

Know that God's heart is for you, even when yours is far from Him. When we are faithless, He remains faithful. He speaks to you as His child - the one He loves. His words do not point out your failures and emphasize where you've gone wrong. No, His words point out your position, who you are, so that you might walk out of the prison of guilt, shame, and failure and walk in his freedom. You are His child, and He is pleased with you.

References

¹ John 8:10-11 - Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

² John 21:17 - The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

³ Luke 15:22-24 - “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate."

⁴ Matthew 17:6-7 - When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”

⁵ Matthew 11:28 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.