“The world starves for grace.” – Phillip Yancey

All of us at some point have felt so empty and destitute inside. We wake up the morning after getting drunk and wonder what we did the night before. Worst of all we realize we have violated a covenant which we have made with Christ. We each run our own way and do not realize our mistake until we happen to be up to our necks in mud. We spread gossip, listen to it, and do not realize it is false until friendships have been broken and relationships destroyed beyond repair. We assume the worst about a situation and do not realize we were wrong until it is too late. We run away and do not realize our mistake in doing so until we realize we are lost.

Many of my friends struggle with things. Some struggle with the temptation to go too far with a person of the opposite sex. Some struggle with liking the same sex. Some struggle with getting drunk. Some struggle with gossip. Some struggle with things that seem so slight but destroy our lives in an instant. We can work so hard to establish ourselves in this world only to have it all crumble in an instant. It seems that our spiritual lives are in no better condition. We work so hard towards repentance, towards pleasing Christ, only to turn our backs upon Him at the most vital moments. Does anyone else find irony that most parties are on Friday and Saturday, just hours before we go to church and beg for His forgiveness? Does this make us abominable to Christ and His way? Am I nothing more than a stench in the nostril of God? I honestly feel like this is the case at times. I know of a girl (girlfriend of a friend) on campus who struggles with getting drunk on the weekends, and if the majority of campus knew I fear for how they would treat her. I look at her and her struggle and I cannot force myself to judge her. I think what she does is wrong, but so does she. Instead, I look at her in how I believe Christ would look at her. I look at her through grace. Could is possibly be that God gains more pleasure out of one of His children seeking forgiveness and grace than out of an entire worship service? Does God rejoice more over one of His broken daughters on her knees repenting of her sins? Is there more pleasure for God when a lost son returns home than for the son that has been there all along?

“God rejoices. Not because the problems of the world have been solved, not because all human pain and suffering have come to an end, nor because thousands of people have been converted and are now praising Him for His goodness. No, God rejoices because one of His children who was lost has been found.” –Henri Nouwen

That is such a humbling concept. Christ would abandon 99 sheep in order to find one lost one. This young lady who was lost, Christ has sought after and rejoices when she comes home. When you sin and repent, Christ rejoices over it. Does this mean we should continue to sin in order to repent and let Christ rejoice? Of course not, for while grace is distributed freely, it cannot be abused. Instead, it is the option for a child that has failed and wants to find their way back to Christ. We should continue to seek Christ, but realize His arms are open when we fail. Christ is grace, grace is Shalom, it is peace, it is salvation for a fallen world. However, we must be humble enough to accept this grace. As C.S. Lewis puts it, “Prostitutes are in no danger of finding their present life so satisfactory that they cannot turn to God: the proud, the avaricious, the self-righteous, are in that danger.”

We do not know what this world holds. We do not fully understand the twist and turns. We must rely upon Christ; we must rely upon the grace of God. Charis Theou is Greek for “Grace of God”. It is one of the most beautiful concepts this world knows, for it is what makes this world go round. Sometimes we need to hide under wings of gold and silver, to hide under the protection and grace of God. For though we sin, His grace abounds even more. Accept his loving tenderness, fall into His arms.