A profound gap exists in our lives and in our world.
No matter what our religion, race or location on the planet, and whether we are rich, poor or something in between, we all know this tension from experience: There’s a gap between what the world is and what we wish, hope or believe it could be. And if we’re honest, we likely feel the same tension deep within ourselves.
On the one hand, I believe I am good and I have some things to offer this world. And yet I wish, or hope, or believe I could somehow become better, happier, healthier, more peaceful, more loving, more effective. More or less: Less selfish, angry, anxious, busy, fearful, doubtful.
The gap between what we desire and what we experience is real. In our efforts to confront the gap, we squelch our desire for a better world or a better life. We lower our expectations, numb our pain, distract ourselves or simply look the other way.
One thing is certain: we all contribute, in some way, not only to what is good in this world, but also to what is broken, what is sinful. For “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
We may eat too much, drink too much, watch too much TV, binge on social media, escape into erotic or emotional fantasies, gossip about the wrongdoings of others, or strive desperately to prove our worth by attaining success or riches.
It is the most unimaginable, shocking claim: the Creator of all, the perfect, loving and good God, became a man, lived in our broken world, and experienced the weight of our sin, while never sinning. He felt the gap of this world in his hunger, loneliness, weariness, disappointment and pain.
Grace is not a mere “thing” or “substance.” It is not magic. Nor is it quantifiable. Grace is not so much an “it” or “what” as a “who.” Grace is God’s gift of his very self to his creation.
Grace is the gift of God’s love poured out for us in big and small ways: from the ultimate gift of salvation to God the Father’s quiet ready response to our daily needs. Grace is God himself walking with us through it all.