Unfathomable Grace

Have you had another bad day?

Have the world, the flesh, and the devil encouraged you to disbelieve God’s goodness and wisdom and disobey his heavenly counsel?

Have you played with fire and now you are feeling the burn? Are the effects felt, not only by you, but by your household? Have you injured others through your practice of iniquity?

Weary of wandering? Tired of transgressions? Sick over your sin?

Can you identify with Adam and Eve in the Garden, Jacob in the wilderness, Lot in his cave, Samson in his bondage, Jonah in his fish, or the Prodigal Son in his pen?

What is the brand of sin that is taking you down? What plagued you yesterday? Can you name the inner perversity that manifested itself in the outward proof?

Are you ready to repent and look afresh into the eyes of Jesus? He loves sinners and has come your way. Can you imagine him in heaven, sitting upon his throne, leaning forward to hear your tender prayer?

Come on friends, let’s run back to the Friend of Sinners together. Let’s have a good conversation with the Wonderful Counselor who is the Prince of Peace.

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Psalm 130:1-8 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! ² O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! ³ If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? ⁴ But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. ⁵ I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; ⁶ my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. ⁷ O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. ⁸ And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. 

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O God, we have travelled towards the ocean of sin — the place you told us not to visit. However, we saw the pleasing color, smelled the ocean scent, and were tempted by the pleasing mist. We drew closer and put our toes in the water. Deeper and deeper we waded in. Truthfully, it was fun. Before we knew it, we were swimming farther and farther from your safe shore. Big problem — we are not in the shallows now. We are in deep water, deep trouble, deep sin.

We have tried to return. We have paddled faster and kicked harder. However, the waves and undertow are relentless, and we are exhausted. We have lost our bearings. We have lost our breath. We have lost hope — almost.

There is only one more thing we can do. We cry to you, O Lord!

And for what are we crying? We are not asking for assistance — as in a helping hand. We are not asking for you to partner with us in bringing us home. We are not asking for a good head start — a push in the right direction. No, we are only asking for divine mercy. Oh Lord …

• Can you hear us?
• Can you help us by granting us the opposite of what we have earned and deserved?
• Can you blot out our iniquities instead of marking and highlighting them?
• Can you forgive?

Lord, we know the answers to these questions. You know because you have predestined, performed, and promised such. We know because we have read of such blessings in your Word and have heard such unfathomable news from faithful Gospel preachers.

And God, here is our commitment. As you are messing with our hearts, hearing our cries, and keeping your promises, we are finding ourselves eager to fear, reverence and respect you with greater fervor.

Therefore, though we believe your Gospel promises, though we have fully been given the gift of forgiveness, we wait and hope for …

• Experiential assurance and peace. Yes, we wait for our emotions to emote truth.
• Spirit-gifted affections — a deep passion to love goodness, hate wickedness, and walk like Jesus.
• The progressive and final destroying of the devil, his minions, and his kingdom.
• The glorious day when we get to see you face-to-face without any more need of repentance.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we as your priests end this prayer by proclaiming to ourselves your great benediction, “O church, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem his people from all his iniquities.”

Yes, where our sin abounds, your grace super-abounds.

Yes, as the new song goes, “Our sins, they are many, his mercy is more.”

Yes, as the old hymn goes, it is true that God has “grace that is greater than all our sins.”

Thank you Savior for not being short or tight on grace. You are steadfast in love and plentiful in bestowing redemption. You have redeemed us — your people — from our iniquities. You have paid the price for “all” our iniquities.

Therefore, right now, I choose not to further sin by disbelieving your Gospel-words. Despite my grievous sin, I rest in you.