Unfathomable Grace

God gazed upon Adam and Eve as the couple stood by the dangerous tree in the Garden of Eden. There he watched the patriarch and matriarch consider their alternatives, choose sides, and attach their entire family-tree to the cult of Satan.

God then gazed upon these two “great” leaders as they ran from him, scurried for cover, and hid themselves amongst the bushes.

However, God gazed differently on that day than he had before. In heaven, following Lucifer’s failed plot, he had only gazed sacred wrath and indignation against his rebels. He cast them from his sight. But on this sad day in the Garden of Eden, God chose to peer with undeserved grace upon his sinful creatures and our familial representatives. Yes, on that fateful day, God gazed graciously upon our fallen parents. He pursued them, called them out, and expressed radical love to them.

in the process, God delivered a prophetic word to the first couple of grace. For the rest of time, he would choose to gaze upon some sinners with deserved legislative-condemnation; he would gaze upon some other sinners with undeserved loving-kindness. From then on, there would be two family groups proceeding from their loins — two seeds — two kingdoms — two people groups. And as the Judge of the earth, he would look at some who were guilty through the lens of the Law while he would look at others who were equally guilty through the lens of the cross.

Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures God gazed with undeserved grace upon some. In a special manner he stared at Abraham, Lot, the Israelites in Egypt, Rahab, Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, and the Ninevites in Jonah’s day.

In the Greek Scriptures he likewise gazed upon sinners near and far. Throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Gentile world, he sought out and saved the lost. In his final command, he sent out his church to seek in his name and for his sake.

And in every generation since the closing of the scriptural record, God continued gazing with deserved legislative-condemnation upon some while staring with undeserved loving-kindness upon others.

Today, some reading this blog understand fully the gracious gaze of Jesus. Isn’t it fantastic to be a part of the family of God, to know that 100 percent of our sins are covered by Jesus blood, and to realize our report card before the Teacher is filled with only “A’s” because of his meritorious righteousness?

Some reading this blog do not yet understand such love. But you can! Right now! Anyone reading who wants the undeserved grace of Jesus, if you choose to admit your sinful rebellion, declare your spiritual impotency, believe the cross-work of Jesus, bow the knee, and receive his adoptive love, you can experience his underserved affection right now. (As a matter of fact, if you run to him now it is because he is already gazing at you with sovereign grace.) Don’t fight him any longer. Why would you die and have to see the burning gaze of the incensed deity? Oh fallen and fear-filled friends, give in to the one who is staring at you with love. Through this writing he is already coming your way. Call out to him who is calling out to you.

And Christian friends and family members, what does Jesus do for you from this point forward?

That’s right … He continues to gaze at you — members of his beloved, redeemed family. Yes, at this very moment, wherever you are and whatever you are experiencing, his omniscient and omnipresent eyes are fixed upon you with crazy affection. And so they shall ever be until the day you get to gaze upon him – face-to-face.

Meditate on the following passage of scripture, and hear the awesome truth of your adoring God one more time.

Psalm 139:1-18 O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.