Glimpses of Grace

Jim:

Micah 7:11-20
Verse 18 is a glimpse into the grace and mercy of God in relation to God’s people. “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of your possession? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in showing clemency.” There is wonder in these words, surprise and joy at a discovery of great value. Who is a God like our God?! No one. Where is such a God to be found? Nowhere. And though we fail to live up to God’s intentions for us as God’s people, God continues to show us mercy—not without judgment—but ultimately with love for us. Wow!

1 Peter 4:7-19
This entire section is thoughtful and deserves careful attention. But I have settled on verse 8 as most meaningful for me today: “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” A community based on God’s love is a community strengthened to withstand whatever may happen. Disagreements will come, misunderstandings will arise, feelings will be hurt, there will be times of tension and doubt, but if the foundation for all relationships is the love we find in God, then community and its many, many blessings can be maintained. For love will lead to forgiveness, and to second chances, and to reconciliation, and to hope.

Matthew 20:29-34
Matthew’s version of this story includes two blind men, neither of whom is named. The key to this passage may actually lie in the preceding verse 28, which frames the confession of the two men: “…just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Those around Jesus, who can see him and know what he is doing, can not understand what this means. But those who can not see, but who live in faith, can see and understand! These two men accept the fact that Jesus is the Son of David, and therefore the Messiah. They recognize his authority to have mercy on them. And they put their hope in him and his willingness to act on behalf of God, which is ultimately Jesus’ motivation.