Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Good Gracious!

God is amazing! And surprising!

Many of us think of God as One who draws a line in the sand and you had better not cross it - or else! Crossing that line is called sin. The problem is that we have a hard time differentiating between the line that God draws and the lines that we as people draw. Is something wrong because God said so, or because we say so?

During the time of the Kings in Biblical times, God had laid down some pretty clear and specific rules for the people to follow. Among them were rules for how people were to prepare themselves to enter the "sanctuary." During the time of Hezekiah the people of Israel had been crossing the line God had drawn for them. The people began to return to God but due to the fact that they were unclean - according to the rules - they could not present their lambs as their sacrificial offering before God.

In 2 Chronicles 30:18-20 an unusual thing happens. Hezekiah took a bold step and prayed to God and said "May the LORD, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God - the LORD, the God of his fathers - even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary." And Good, Gracious - God "heard Hezekiah and healed the people."

When you have crossed the line, God is still gracious.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.