New Morning Mercies #298

We are fearful. God’s presence gives courage. We are alienated. His love draws us near. We are doubtful. His promises give us hope.

God meets us where we are. This is the beautiful, hope-giving reality of grace. If God asked us to meet him where he is, we would all be damned. There is no better example of this than Jesus’s response to Peter after Peter’s denial:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15–19)

If there’s someone on whom you would expect Jesus to turn his back forever, it would be Peter. How could he deny Jesus, even after being warned? Wasn’t that unforgivable? No! What Peter did was not a picture of the defeat of the cross. The opposite is true. Peter’s denial is a shockingly concrete picture of the essentiality of the cross of Jesus Christ. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus were necessary because we are people like Peter. We have no power in ourselves to be faithful, wise, good, and righteous. We cannot save ourselves. We are people in need of rescue. Without the rescue of grace, we are a danger to ourselves and to others, without hope and without God.

So in amazing condescending grace, God meets us where we are, just as he did with Peter. He comes to us in our fear. He draws near to us when we are separated. He meets us in our doubt. He pursues us when we wander. When we sin, he comes to us with conviction and forgiveness. He empowers us when we’re weak. He restores us when we are unfaithful. When we deny him, he does not deny us. He comes to us at the moment of our salvation, and he comes to us again and again as we journey from the “already” to the “not yet.” He sits down with us, assuring us again of his love, drawing out from us love for him, and sending us on our way to do the work he has chosen us to do. He does not wait for us to come to him; he comes to us. It is the way of grace.

For further study and encouragement: John 18:15–18