Observation: After setting up a case for God's righteous judgment--that all human beings have sinned and fallen short of God's expectations--Paul announces what will be the central theme of his writing: God's Grace, offered to us as a gift, through faith in Christ.
Application: It seems too good to be true. It really does. I have now spent 36 years on this planet, I'm a cradle Lutheran--Grace is kind of a big deal for us--yet it still seems too good to be true.
Why? Two reasons.
First, because I know me. I have to be me all the time. You've seen me at my best. Maybe a few of you have seen a few of my less-than-proud moments, but I've seen it all. And I know what it feels like, at the end of the day, like Buddy the Elf, to say to God, "I'm going to come up a little short today..." Every day.
Second, because in this world, for every time we hear about God's grace (even if we hear it a lot), we hear ten more times that "there's no such thing as a free lunch", and that if we can't earn it for ourselves, we must not have wanted it or needed it anyway. If a right relationship with God is a valuable commodity, why on earth would God just stand there giving it out for free to all comers? It's bad economics. It's bad policy. It'll drive the market price way down.
You may be like me. Struggling to believe, to trust, that Jesus really did offer himself for us--for you--and God wants nothing in return. Nothing. It doesn't make sense. God's patience, God's love, must have some limit. This barrel must have a bottom. I mean, come on. And plus I may know you, but you really know you--you know the "you" that nobody else knows. And no way is Jesus dying for that...right?
Nope. Not right. He is. He did. Believe it or not, God knows you better than you know yourself, even the "you" you will become, which, spoiler alert, will not be any more worthy of God's unconditional love and mercy than the "you" you are now. All have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God, but all are made right by God's grace. Free.
As. A. Gift. No strings attached.
It's completely counter-cultural, and nonsensical, and that's why we need to take every opportunity to hear this word, to be reminded of it by someone outside ourselves, not just as a motivational platitude on a post-it note on a mirror, but from another flesh-and-blood human being who took the time to show up for you. That's the power of the Gospel: God's power, for salvation for all who believe.
Prayer: God, I am indeed a cotton-headed ninnymuggins, unworthy of your love and mercy on my very best day, and I'll tell you right now, today won't be it. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your free gift of grace. I didn't earn it. I don't deserve it. I still need it. Thanks for providing it. Amen.
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