Why Have I Found Grace?

“Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?” (Ruth 2:10)

This incident was when Ruth confronted her kinsman redeemer Boaz. Personally, I feel this quite frequent (most every day) when I think about how gracious God has been to me and of what Christ Jesus did for me on that old rugged cross. Just how could He pour out His life giving blood for such a horrid sinner as I? This is, without any doubt, far beyond the comprehension of my finite little brain! How can one get even the tiniest foot hold on understanding such an enormous mystery of the mind and heart of God? True brethren share the same perplexity of the event of grace gifted upon their eternal souls. Shall not the thought humble the mightiest saint?

The great Apostle Paul was limited in the midst of inspiration to explain this unfathomable mystery of bestowed grace. In a brief glimpse the Spirit reveals in reference to Jacob and Esau: “(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;” (Rom. 9:11) In continuation of the revelation the Spirit instructs Paul to write of God’s grace: “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (Rom. 9:15-16) Paul is simply instructed to write that the mercy of the giving of God’s grace lies in the mind and the purpose of God. All we are privy to is that the gift of grace is according to the purpose of God, and the “Why?” is none of our business. God is good at drowning men’s pathetic theologies!

Still, after thirty-six years of preaching, I never cease to be amazed at how many proclaim they know the mind of God in His sovereign bestowal of His divine grace upon an ungodly, sin-filled creature. We are worthy of no more than eternal condemnation! We deserve the fiery pits of Hell! How dare we presume to fine even a micro spec of heavenly worthiness within ourselves? Shall we all not find ourselves dumb-struck and cry out to our Redeemer: “Why have I found grace in thine eyes,”? O the mystery of His grace!!!


From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr

Saved

What can I say? The cross has been on mind as of late. I have been dwelling on Christ’s sacrifice and our unworthiness of it. He died for us when we were yet sinners. When we were yet SINNERS! We were damaged goods, totally depraved, since the fall of Adam. We cannot keep the commandments. We all fall short (Romans 3:23). Imagine sacrificing yourself for refuse, garbage, toilet paper. God would have been just to let us give Him glory in our eternal torment and damnation. A just God cannot and must not let unrighteousness go unpunished. So, judgment He decreed….on Himself in our stead! He looked on His and said, “Here let me take your filth and you can have my righteousness.” So, on the cross he WILLINGLY went. He gave His life, no one stole it. As I read Matthew 27, the account of the crucifixion, I am forced to realize, with eyes spiritually pried open, that I, in my sin, would not have been among those who weeped for Christ, but I would be among the scoffers, mockers, and abusers. Every time I fall short, every time the pride of life, lust of the eyes, and lust of the flesh fill me and I succumb to their impulses, I spit at His sacrifice. It is me who Christ was speaking about when he said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” And here is the kicker of it all, He knew how I would hurt Him from the foundations of the Earth and the beginnings of time itself and He still went willing to the cross to save me. All of His children’s sins were paid in full when he said, “It is finished” and gave up the ghost. I bring nothing to the table when it comes to my salvation expect my wretchedness. With this mindset, I can no longer say that “I gave my life to Christ.” as though it was mine to give, for this pride now stings me. I can only say, “Jesus SAVED me.” I am only just now understanding what it means to be, “saved.” Only now do I begin to grasp the concept of, “Jesus loves me.” I do not think the full extent of His love will be revealed to me on this side of eternity. It is just too deep for me to get, still having the flesh a part of me. All I can say is, “Thank you, Lord”