[for parts 1 and 2, follow these links:

http://blog.beliefnet.com/waithasthatalwaysbeenthere/2011/08/offering-grace-pt-1.html

http://blog.beliefnet.com/waithasthatalwaysbeenthere/2011/08/offering-grace-pt-2.html ]

 

But what about sin?  Doesn’t God get angry about sin?  Oh, yeah.  He does.  He gets as angry as angry can be.  But Steve Camp says it well in a song:  “You face your doom, a sinner in the hands of an angry God.  Now the hands of an angry God were pierced and bleeding as he embraced all Heaven’s wrath upon the cross.  And the hands of an angry God still reach out pleading, for he came to seek and save that which was lost.”

It sounds a lot like what Paul wrote in Romans 5:6-8 – “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus did NOT say to mankind, “I’ll be happy to die for you once you’ve decided to change your ways.  When you are ready to come back to me, let me know, and I’ll see what I can do about it.”  Jesus said, “You have no hope unless I come to you first, so here I am.  Now please, turn around.”

So how does all that affect the way WE handle OUR need to extend grace and forgiveness?  Do we offer the grace we can give, the forgiveness we have withheld, BEFORE or AFTER the one who needs it asks for it?  Jesus has something to say about that, when He teaches His disciples to pray.  Say it with me – “And forgive us our trespasses, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESSPASS AGAINST US.”

Well, the son in the story at the beginning of these posts – – he’s in a pickle, isn’t he?  What does he do now about his father?  The father for whom the son had no grace or forgiveness or anything good to give?

I guess he can always pray for forgiveness and grace for himself.  That seems little comfort in the face of Jesus’ words, asking for something he was unwilling to give.

What is it that moves a person to the arms of God?  Is it a stern recitation of their wrongs?  Is it strong warnings about their eternal doom?  Is it the rebuffs of Christians refusing to share life with them?  In some cases, it has been and may be those things, I guess.  But hear what the apostle Paul says about it, in Romans 2:3-4 – – “Do you suppose, O man — you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself — that you will escape the judgment of God?   Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

This verse is echoed in the words of a song – “It’s Your kindness that leads us to repentance, O God; knowing that You love us, no matter what we do, makes us want to love You, too.”

Kindness, love, forgiveness, grace – by THESE things, a wayward heart is turned back toward God.

So what do we do?  Well, maybe we begin to be more deliberate about offering grace.  Maybe we choose, whenever we can, to forgive BEFORE, rather than AFTER.  Maybe you will join me in making this pledge:

“From this day forward, because of the grace God is giving me, and to the extent that I allow God to lead me in doing so, I will live my life and spend my days offering His grace to any person who needs it from me, even before they know they need it.”

Too much to remember?  Here’s the short version:

“I pledge to allow God’s grace to flow through me.”

 

[And maybe you’ll comment, below, and let me know you’ve taken this pledge.  I’d love to hear from you.]

 

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