IMPERFECT, BUT ACCEPTED

On Wednesday afternoon, I had quite a view out my study window. For one, there was unique cloud movement. It seemed that the clouds were coming from every angle and converging toward the North. I had also seen a deer running around in the distance, toward the tree line. And, then, to my surprise, I saw a buck about twenty feet into the grass behind the church. He was a two-pointer, but only because one of his antlers was missing. After a few minutes, I saw why he was there when a doe popped up from the tall grass. Part of me wonders if she thought him goofy-looking, only having one antler. But, despite his flaws, the doe accepted him. Eventually the couple ran off to the tree line, but it was neat to see them so close.

As I pondered what to write, that buck’s imperfection struck a chord. It really is amazing grace that God looks at us with all our imperfection and sin, and chooses to love us anyway. He not only accepts us, He made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Consider the significance of Romans 5:8-10:

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Rom 5:8-10 ESV)

We were much worse off than that one-antlered deer—we had caused a seemingly un-reconcilable offense. At very least, we were powerless to set it right. But, then, “... Christ … suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit...”(1Peter 3:18 ESV)

Praise God, that imperfect though we be, we are loved, accepted and forgiven through the blood of Christ. Thank you God, for your grace and mercy!

In His grip,
Pastor Decker