God Never Gives Up on YouShembull

The Gift of Grace

In every story, there is a protagonist—a character who serves as the hero of the tale. When we read Jacob’s story in the Bible, we might be tempted to view him in this role. After all, it is a story about his life. But Jacob is not the hero of his own story. God is! God bestowed His Grace on Jacob and appeared to him in a vision for no other reason than He loved Jacob and wanted to reassure him of His Presence. The initiator of Grace was God—and God alone.

Jacob certainly didn’t deserve the vision that God gave to him. He had just stolen his brother’s blessing. He was running away from his mistakes to save his life. As far as we know, he hadn’t experienced a change of heart. He hadn’t apologized to Esau or made amends. While he likely felt afraid, we don’t even know if he felt guilty or regretful. It’s not that Jacob changed and so God decided to bless him. As one scholar notes, “There is no word of reproach for Jacob. God simply takes the initiative in extending grace to this schemer.”

This is also true in our stories. We haven’t done anything—and actually can’t do anything— to earn God’s Grace. No, we receive it as a Free and Unmerited Gift—through Jesus, our Ladder—simply because our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to know that He is always with us. We can’t fall out of Grace with God, and we are never beyond His Mercy. His Love is greater than anything we could ever do (or not do) in this life.

God gave Jacob a beautiful Promise: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you” (Genesis 28:15). While we may feel distant from God at times because of what we have done, the truth is that God is never distant from us.

Reflection

True to its name, Lamentations is a book about lamenting, specifically the Israelites’ lamenting that Jerusalem had been captured by the Babylonians in 587 BC. The Israelites had long strayed from God’s Plan, and the capture was seen as a punishment. Losing Jerusalem and the Temple was equivalent to losing themselves, and the author of Lamentations (likely Jeremiah) expresses this anguish. But in Lamentations 3:22–24, the author changes his tune. What does he say about God’s Love and Mercy? Why is this significant in the context of Israel’s rebellion and capture by the Babylonians?

How does Paul describe our condition before we came to Christ? What has God done for us now that we are in Christ? What part do we play in this?

When was a time that you experienced God’s Grace and Mercy in a tangible way? What was that experience like? How did it make you feel about God and yourself?

What area of your life have you been hiding from God’s Grace and Mercy? What would it look like to receive His Love in this part of your life rather than condemnation?

Prayer

Spend your prayer time in quiet reflection. Let yourself feel God’s Love, Grace, and Mercy. Pay attention to what it feels like in your heart, brain, and body. Stay in this moment for as long as you are able.