From The Crucible (by Pastor Linda Pugsley)

What’s this “grace” thing all about anyways? To some, it’s what you pray before eating; to others it means being mannerly and delicate. But to God it means that no matter what mistakes you make in this life, you will never be disqualified from His love. Now that’s some good news!

The song “Amazing Grace” tells it all, “How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me”. I hope you get it seared in your head and your heart that God doesn't judge you on your past but on your future. Grace is an odd thing to the fallen and broken nature of man. We judge people all the time. We judge them by their behavior and pronounce harsh consequences upon those with moral failings. I wish it was “used to judge”, but I am afraid it is front and center in most of our lives.

So to us, limited by that broken nature, this grace thing seems pretty irrational, even a bit unjust and unfair, that God would forgive someone and give them another chance. Makes no sense to a world used to revenge and punishment, but makes a boatload of sense if you believe in the God of second chances.

God’s no fool, though; He’s not some vain dreamer hoping for deliverance and repentance from a hardened heart. Because He knows everyone’s heart, background, brokenness, gifts, etc., He knows who will turn to Him and who won’t. God knows those who more need healing than justice. Grace is the balm to that healing. Let’s make sure we let God’s grace flow through us to others. If we respond to evil with evil, the cycle remains unbroken. God’s grace ends that cycle. Remember, revenge will perpetuate the evil, justice can only punish it, but grace ends the cycle of death and brings life. Endure the fire…it’s producing pure gold!

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