HOW FAR CAN GRACE REACH?

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save…”  (Isaiah 59:1)

There are days when the distance feels real. Distance from God. Distance from who you hoped to be. Distance from the life you imagined. Sometimes it’s failure that convinces you you’ve wandered too far. Sometimes it’s shame that whispers you’ve crossed a line you can’t return from. Sometimes it’s simply the slow drift of a tired heart.

But grace has a longer reach than your longest detour. Grace is not limited by geography, history, or the mess you made yesterday. Grace does not check how far you’ve run before deciding whether to chase you. Grace does not measure the distance -- it closes it.

The prodigal son tried to rehearse his apology, but the Father ran to him before he could speak. Peter denied Jesus three times, but grace restored him with three invitations to love. Paul persecuted the church, but grace turned him into its greatest preacher. Every story in Scripture shouts the same truth: You are never farther than grace can reach.

Lord, thank You that Your grace reaches farther than my failures, fears, and wanderings. Draw me close again. Remind me that no distance is too great for Your love to cross. Help me accept that and live today as someone found, forgiven, and held by grace. Amen. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

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JESUS – THE MOST APPROACHABLE PERSON

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1-2 NIV)

In Jesus' day, lepers and prostitutes and tax collectors were especially careful to steer clear of the rabbis, who were considered especially close to God. The rabbis' had the mistaken notion that their spirituality required them to distance themselves from people. The irony is that the only rabbi the outcasts could touch turned out to be God Himself.

Jesus was the most approachable person they had ever seen. The religious leaders had a kind of differentness that pushed people away. Jesus had a kind of differentness that drew people to Him. True spirituality is that way.

-- John Ortberg in “The Life You've Always Wanted”

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DELIGHTFUL DAY

“The Lord also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.”  (Psalm 18:19 NKJV)

Following a winter blizzard touted as the “storm of the century,” my bassets decide to do “snow angels” in the snowbank called my front yard. Though their backs were just about even with the top of it, they bounced atop the white stuff and ploughed on, leaving leg and belly marks.

I admit I laughed, though I also kept an eye on them to be sure they were safe. It was really rather fun to see them enjoying themselves and taking on a new challenge. They’d never seen this much snow.

Somewhat like a pet owner who gets a lot of enjoyment from the animal’s antics, I imagine God delights in watching us take on new things, enjoy the world He’s created for us, and learn more of Him. He didn’t create us to become our taskmaster, but because He wanted to share things with us noy only in eternity, but here on earth, too. Though Scripture contains many serious warnings and guidelines, there are frequent indications of the joy He has in His creation, and part of that creation is us.

So while we’re trying to do the right thing and follow His way intently, let’s not forget that we can also simply rejoice in the God who saved us. He delivered us because He delighted in us, and He wants us to delight in Him, too.

Make this a truly delightful day as you worship the Savior who loves you in so many ways. Remember, He wants to share the fun with you, too. 

-- Pamela McQuade, from “Daily Wisdom to Satisfy the Soul,” published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

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THE WORLD’S A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE…

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.”  (Philippians 2:13 NIV)

Great historical events might never have “happened” if people’s spirits were not in touch with the Spirit’s movement in their lives:

The world’s a better place because Michelangelo didn’t say, “I don’t do ceilings.”

The world’s a better place because a German monk named Martin Luther didn’t say, “I don’t do doors.”

The world’s a better place because an Oxford don named John Wesley didn’t say, “I don’t do fields.”

The world’s a better place because Moses didn’t say, “I don’t do Pharaohs.”

The world’s a better place because Noah didn’t say, “I don’t do arks and animals.”

The world’s a better place because Ruth didn’t say, “I don’t do mothers-in-law.”

The world’s a better place because Mary didn’t say, “I don’t do virgin births.”

The world’s a better place because Mary Magdalene didn’t say, “I don’t do feet.”

The world’s a better place because Jesus didn’t say, “I don’t do crosses.”

Get in touch with the greatness of your spiritual heritage. Look to the future, and feel God’s Spirit stirring your own. Then watch in wonder as God transforms your life… and makes the world a better place.

-- Adapted from Leonard Sweet in “A Cup of Coffee at the Soulcafe”

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JUSTICE, MERCY AND HUMILITY

In the Book of Micah, God called all the mountains and hills to witness as He told the people of Israel what is expected of them. “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8)

Of all the demands upon the Christian, justice and mercy – not to mention humility – are perhaps the most often misunderstood.

Justice is a hard standard. Justice demands absolute conformity with God’s holy character -- righteousness in our hearts, righteousness in our conversations, righteousness in our conduct, righteousness in our jobs and lives, righteousness in our institutions. Because God is a holy God, He cannot be in fellowship with unjust people.

At the same time, God is a merciful God. He woos His people and calls them back to Himself. But His justice -- consistency with His own decrees -- means that sin has to be paid for with death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)…

Why didn’t God simply forgive and forget and let us begin again? Because His standard of justice, which demanded righteousness or death, could not be put aside.

So God shook heaven and earth, merging justice and mercy at the Cross by fulfilling the demands of justice through the one perfect sacrifice, His only Son, Jesus Christ.

When the Scriptures tell us to do justice and to love mercy, they require of us nothing less than the glorious, full-bodied justice and mercy God Himself showed. 

– Adapted from Charles Colson (1931-2012) in an article entitled “Doing Justice, Loving Mercy, Walking Humbly” in Discipleship Journal, No. 63 

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