Mercy and Grace Before We Ask?

 In John 8 we read the well-known account of the woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders brought her to Jesus -- for punishment -- but  mostly to trap Him and find cause to accuse and discredit Him publicly. 

The first, and obvious question, is "Where is the man?" They said she was 'caught in the act.' The law was clear -- the man was also guilty. They didn't seem to care very much about that detail!

So she is standing there alone -- obviously guilty -- no defense lawyer to plead her case. Alone. A cruel death waiting for her.

What is Jesus doing? Starting to write something on the ground with His finger....in a kneeling position as we picture it. He makes His famous answer, "Let any of you who is without sin be the first one to throw a stone at her."

They begin to walk away and then only Jesus and the guilty woman are left. "Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin."

Notice He forgave her first! He didn't parole her; didn't tell her to change her life and then come back and report to Him.

He forgave her first! He gave her mercy and grace before she even asked. Freedom. A  second chance. A new life. 

What an amazing God we have!

Questioning God

 It's truly amazing how God's words in His Word speak to us just when we need to hear them!

I say, "Lord, how could You truly love someone like me?"

He answers, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3).

I say, "Lord, why would You draw me to You?"

He tells me that He takes great delight in me and that He rejoices over me, singing to me while quieting and soothing me with His words (Zephaniah 3:17). He tells me I am His (Psalm 100:3).

"But, Lord," I protest. "How can You accept me? My weaknesses, my return to sin, my disobedience! Even I wouldn't want me!"

He answers, "Though the mountains be shaken  and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor My covenant of peace be removed"(Isaiah 54:10).

Doubts press in. But He overrides them with His perfect promise from Lamentations 3:22 that His love and compassion never fail -- in fact, they are new and fresh every morning!

He has spoken! Case closed!

Nothing can stop His love.

LORD, help me accept Your love for me and to joyfully display it every moment of every day! Amen.

{Thoughts from Anchor Devotional, November, 2024}

Restore My Joy - Is it too much to ask?

 

                                          Restore My Joy - Is it too much to ask?

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin...Create in me a pure heart, O God....restore to me the joy of your salvation." (Psalm 51:1, 2, 10, 12)

I find it necessary to read this psalm multiple times. It appears in centuries past that congregations recited it together every week at worship services. I can see why.

David  composed it just after he was confronted with his sin with Bathsheba and his attempt to cover it out by having her husband Uriah killed.

When I was younger I was amazed at David's presumptuous attitude! -- What gall, I thought! Such serious sins and to ask God to restore his joy!!?

Asking forgiveness -- that's OK. But asking for his joy in God's presence to be restored? That's just too much!

But now I am older and have seen more clearly - and more frequently - the darkness of my own heart and realize that all sin is treason against our holy God-- all sin is serious - displeasing to Him and deserving of judgment and death.

But His gracious forgiveness of all our sins does restore us - brings us back into our close fellowship with Him and brings back our joy in His presence.

Yes, it is hard to believe, and that's why we call it 'Amazing Grace'!

His total complete forgiveness does this for us.

And so I pray, with David, when I confess my sins and experience the miracle of forgiveness,  please restore the joy of your salvation to me, a sinner saved by your grace!

Who Wants a Tin Can Without a Can Opener?

                                      Who Wants A Tin Can Without a Can Opener?

We  can always count on God's timing. It's perfect, down to the last second accurate.

In Ephesians 2:10 He tells us that "We are God's handiwork [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Not only did He prepare the tasks He wanted us to do, but He also prepared us to be able to do the tasks!

We read in 2 Timothy 2:16-17, that "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

His timing is perfect! When the task is ready for us we are ready for the task!

Our human timing is not so great. I remember reading that Napoleon Bonaparte, in the 1790's, discovered that food, when heated, could be preserved for long periods of time and still retain flavor if kept safely in a secure container.

I don't know how he discovered that - but he talked about it - he didn't realize that by killing the bacteria and applying a sealed vacuum it was kept from recontamination - he just knew it kept food longer and preserved more of its taste.

A British inventor in 1810, applied this study to his own work, and created the world's first canned goods. But his 'cans' were wrought iron and so thick they had to be opened with a hammer and chisel!

It wasn't till 50 years later that an American inventor, with thinner steel cans, invented an actual can opener that had a blade that could puncture a can and saw the lid off!  And it wasn't until 1870 that a rotary can opener  appeared on the market that could actually be used by home consumers.  A huge advancement in food consumption!

But it took 60 years for the practical, operational can opener to be invented so those marvelous cans of food could be opened!

I am thankful for the variety of food tin cans made possible. And how the ideas of "canning" food right at home changed our diets forever. But I am also thankful we can get into them without a hammer and chisel! 

Nothings compares to God's perfect timing in all He does.

He has a job He wants us to do. And He has already prepared us to do it!

The Problem With Trying to Make Yourself Look Stupid

Looking  back to the beginning -- When the Lion (Aslan) Created Narnia 

(From "The Magician's Nephew," The Chronicles of Narnia, by C S Lewis)

"When the Lion had first begun singing, long ago when it was still quite dark, [Uncle Andrew] had realized that the noise was a song. And he disliked the song very much. It made him think and feel things he did not want to think and feel. Then, when the sun rose and he saw that the singer was a lion ('only a lion,') he said to himself, he tried his hardest to make believe that lion had never been singing, only roaring as lions do in our world.

And the longer and more beautifully the Lion sang, the harder Uncle Andrew tried to make himself believe that he could hear nothing but roaring.

Now the trouble about trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed. And Uncle Andrew did. He soon did hear nothing but roaring in Aslan's song. Soon he couldn't have heard anything else even if he had wanted to.

And when at last the Lion spoke -- 'Narnia, AWAKE!' -- he didn't hear any words, just a snarl. And when the Beasts spoke in answer he heard only barkings, howling, baying and growling."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Poor Uncle Andrew. He didn't want to see or hear the truth. He preferred to hear and see a lie. He didn't even hear the Talking Beasts! He was there, but he missed it all! Missed the joyous magnificence of Aslan personally creating Narnia!

And so he exchanged the truth for a lie, as explained in Romans 1. He had ears and eyes, but he could not hear or see!  I know some people like that around me right now - and we aren't even in Narnia! You probably do, too!]