God’s Mercy and Grace
March 30, 2009 by Standing on Truth
Filed under Christianity
Yesterday in church, our pastor told a story that was not only quite moving, but very illustrative of God’s mercy and grace. He told us that one day as a young boy, he had gotten into some typical trouble. When his father found out, he knew what was coming next: a spanking.
He assumed the position, bending over for his father to discipline him as he had many times before. But instead, his father said to him,
“Peter, I’m not going to spank you.”
“You’re not?” Peter said, quite surprised. He knew he deserved it.
“No, I’m not. You deserve a spanking, but instead, I’m going to give you MERCY,” his father answered. “I’m not giving you something you deserve.”
“Oh, I like mercy,” Peter replied.
“Most people do,” his father said.
As Peter was inwardly rejoicing over this newfound mercy, his father spoke again.
“Peter, let’s go get an ice cream.”
Ok, something must be wrong. He had already received mercy, and now his father wanted to take him for ice cream. But who was he to argue. After all, he did love ice cream. So he and his father went for ice cream, and as Peter was enjoying his delicious, creamy treat, his father said to him,
“Do you know what this is, Peter?”
“What Dad?”
“This is GRACE. I’m giving you something that you don’t deserve,” his father said.
After a moment of reflection, Peter said, “Dad, I like grace.”
“Most people do, Peter.”
And so we have the perfect illustration of what Jesus did on the cross for our sins.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). We deserved the death that Jesus suffered. Yet he showed us mercy, by taking what we deserved for us.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). God gave us something that we did not deserve–the gift of eternal life and relationship with Him–if only we trust fully in His work on the cross, not our own works, and receive Him into our life.
Lord, thank you for your love, mercy, and sacrifice on that cross. Thank you for dying for my sins. I believe that you established victory over death when you rose from the grave. I ask you to come into my heart and into my life. Fill me with your peace and change me. Make my life a testimony of your mercy and grace, the same mercy and grace you’ve shown to me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
