Grace and Repentance
God is such a gentleman. He taught us in the Bible to overcome evil with good, to answer wrath with a soft answer, to turn the other cheek, to bless and pray for our enemies (and in doing so heap burning coals on their heads).. Did you know He practices what He preaches, in truth?"Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2:4)
Have you experienced the unmerited favor of God? Pause for a moment to reflect. Think of how you treat the One who made you and loves you deeply with an everlasting love. Think of what He requires of you, and the deep Love that is behind those requirements. Do you truly give Him what He deserves? Your time, your devotion, your heart, your money..
I answer no to those questions in my own life, sadly. The sobering reality is that I frequently allow my flesh to out-shout my spirit and neglect God and His commands. I do not give God what is due to Him. In a sense, then, I am His enemy.
And yet.. Still He blesses me. Still He remains with me, still He pursues me.. Not with fire and brimstone, but largely with a still, small, and constant voice.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.
(Isaiah 43:4)
Do you sometimes feel like God has given up on you? Or if He hasn't, He surely should? I've felt like that. But He doesn't. Ever. He hasn't given up on me. I wander, ever the lost sheep.. And ever He comes to seek me. He gives me grace for my sin, and I find it bittersweet: I do not deserve it, but I am deeply thankful for it. Repentance is a natural response.
What then is the result of God responding to sin with grace? Reconciliation through repentance. And, if the sequence continues, a righteous life.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
This is my prayer, Lord. May it be so.
Labels: For the spirit, Musings
posted by Joel Chan @ 10:50 PM
1 Comments:
Mummy: Amen!!
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