Marveled by God's Grace

The Lord does not need us. Out of His good will, He chose to create Earth and all that it contains. He was not incomplete without it, yet He wanted to embark on the journey with man.

God, all-knowing as is His nature, knew that man would fail. It was no surprise to Him when Eve, being deceived, fell into transgression, followed quickly by her husband, Adam. He knew that Israel would betray Him and seek false gods. He knew that even His most passionate disciple would deny Him on the evening of His crucifixion.

Knowing these things, He still chose to enter into relationship with humanity. He chose to make Himself vulnerable to us and to allow himself to be affected by our actions. What great love the Father has for us! While we were yet sinners, He sent His son to die for our sins. While we rejected Him, in His unimaginable grace, He sought us out.

I was reading in Jeremiah this morning, and I was struck by a profound truth. Chapter 3, verses 12 through 18 or so:

Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, "Return, faithless Israel," declares the Lord; "I will not look upon you in anger. For I am gracious," declares the Lord; "Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God and have scattered your favors to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed My voice," declares the Lord. "Return, O faithless sons," declares the Lord; "For I am a master to you, and I will take you one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding. It shall be in those days when you are multiplied and increased in the land," declares the Lord, "they will no longer say, 'The ark of the covenant of the Lord.' And it will not come to mind, nor will they remember it, nor will they miss it, nor will it be made again. At that time they will call Jerusalem 'The Throne of the Lord,' and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the Lord; nor will they walk anymore after the stubborness of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance."

Even in the midst of their sin, the Lord is reaching out to His people for reconciliation. He is saying, "I love you, Israel. I want to bless you and make you a great nation for My glory. All you have to do is come to me." How patient our Father is! His love is unfathomable!

God wants to bless us. He has big plans for our lives as we know from Jer. 29:11. All we must do is acknowledge our sin, realize that the only way to have reconciliation with God is through His Son, Jesus Christ, and we will be saved! And that is only the beginning - the Holy Spirit is at work in the life of every believer to transform our hearts and minds into the likeness of Christ.

Praise be to God for His marvelous grace!