Who Knew?

Wow...you're in for it now! I've been plagued with trying to understand exactly what role "grace" has in destroying "the root of bitterness". It has bothered me all day long. So much so that I pulled a Mary and sat at my kitchen table all day looking up scripture references on grace. There are over 90 references to grace as a character trait of God listed in the study guide part of my Disciple's Study Bible. I knew I'd never get through them all today but I started at the beginning anyway ... Genesis .... (sigh).

I've always preferred the New Testament verses over the Old Testament. I used to think that the Old Testament just wasn't as easy to understand or apply to my circumstances. But I respect the fact that it's first and the beginning is supposedly a very good place to start.

As I read about God's character of grace and the commentaries on it, I realized that I was learning who God is. God seems to really enjoy giving us absolutely everything we need: enter a lamb for Abraham's sacrifice and manna from heaven. Apparently, this is grace. He also prefers to dish out mercy and forgiveness, to save us from destruction when, in fact, He's quite justified to blow us off the planet: enter Lot and his family when Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed. He enjoys turning devastating events into wonderfully, good things for those who choose to follow Him: enter Joseph sold into slavery and thrown in prison only to save his family by rising to a position of power second only to Pharoh. He loves to reward faithfulness with blessing: enter Hannah, barren and depressed, who gives her blessing baby, Samuel, to the service of God. God in turn blesses her with more children. Enter midwives who refused to kill the Israelite boys being blessed with families of their own. Enter Solomon who asks for wisdom instead of riches. God surely smiled as He gave Solomon both because He was pleased with Solomon's choice.

God wants to bless us. He wants to supply our needs. He wants to turn our devastating events into huge victories. This, apparently, is grace. He even desires to cheat death for us. In His mercy and grace He found a way around it. And I wasn't reading in the New Testament, Isaiah, or Psalms. It was in 2 Samuel 14:14

Like water spilled on the ground which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, He devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from Him

I believe they're talking about grace here.

A Trip to the Throne

This week in Bible study, we've been studying "the joy of moral freedom". While "filling in the blanks" I was caused to ponder the role of bitterness in my sin. The author said this:

The hurts of the past and our refusal to forgive those who have wronged us provide fertile ground for bitterness to flourish. Bitterness, left unchecked, makes us more apt to succumb to- or even pursue- sensuality (sin) and to subconsciously justify it in our mind, on the basis of how deeply we have been hurt. Bitterness is like poison; it defiles. Forgiveness is the only antidote. You cannot hold on to harbored hurts and pursue purity at the same time.

I never really thought I had much of a problem with bitterness. (You know, I say things like that a lot; don't I? This might be a problem!) Anyway... back to bitterness! I never thought I had much of a problem there but the more I delve into it, I find that bitterness has been at the root of most of the major, heartbreaking sins in my life. It's as if because I'm nurturing that pain, I seek out opportunities to sin to kill the pain. Why on earth does my brain work that way? (Here, insert true shock, frustration, and confusion!) Why would someone believe that sinning would kill pain?

In the related scripture (Hebrews 12:15-17), Paul describes how Esau, who was focused on his physical pain of severe hunger, hastily traded his birthright (with it's associated blessings) for a single meal. A single, short lived, comfort from the physical pain. A single sin rooted in self absorption with life long consequences. His blessing would never be restored. And how many single, self focused, bitterness encased sins have taken their toll on my life and blessings?

God assures me that obtaining His grace is the answer to avoiding the root of bitterness and falling prey to the temptation to sin (verse 15). This amazing thing called grace enables me to live a life that will please God. I can no more live a "good Christian life" on my own than I could save myself from eternal death; both receiving and living that life are dependent on God's grace. It is God's grace that enables me to live a life without bitterness. He promises that where there is sin (i.e.: bitterness), His grace is there in even greater amounts to conquor it (Rom. 5:20-21). Jesus lived a life without bitterness yet he can relate to my desire to hold on to my pain for he was tempted in the same way all of us are tempted.

So then, I will approach the throne of grace with confidence, with Jesus there as my high priest, so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Wanna come?