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"I've never been surprised by God's judgment, but I'm still stunned by his grace."

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, When God Whispers Your Name (p. 52). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Now that seems like another good thought to explore, don’t you think?

Max says, “God’s judgment has never been a problem for me. In fact, it’s always seemed right. Lightning bolts on Sodom. Fire on Gomorrah. Good job, God. Egyptians swallowed in the Red Sea. They had it coming. Forty years of wandering to loosen the stiff necks of the Israelites? Would’ve done it myself. Ananias and Sapphira? You bet.”

Max goes on, “Discipline is easy for me to swallow. Logical to assimilate. Manageable and appropriate. But God’s grace? Anything but.  Examples? How much time do you have?

“David the psalmist becomes David the voyeur but, by God’s grace, becomes David the psalmist again. Peter denied Christ before he preached Christ. Zacchaeus, the crook. The cleanest part of his life was the money he’d laundered. But Jesus still had time for him. The thief on the cross: hellbent and hung-out-to-die one minute, heaven-bound and smiling the next.  Story after story. Prayer after prayer. Surprise after surprise.

“Seems that God is looking more for ways to get us home than for ways to keep us out. I challenge you to find one soul who came to God seeking grace and did not find it. Search the pages. Read the stories. Envision the encounters. Find one person who came seeking a second chance and left with a stern lecture. I dare you. Search. You won’t find it.”

Max later says, “Seems to me God gives a lot more grace than we’d ever imagine.  We could do the same.”

“I’m not for watering down the truth or compromising the gospel. But if a fellow with a pure heart calls God Father, can’t I call that same man Brother? If God doesn’t make doctrinal perfection a requirement for family membership, should I?

“And if we never agree, can’t we agree to disagree? If God can tolerate my mistakes, can’t I tolerate the mistakes of others? If God can overlook my errors, can’t I overlook the errors of others? If God allows me with my foibles and failures to call him Father, shouldn’t I extend the same grace to others?

“One thing’s for sure. When we get to heaven, we’ll be surprised at some of the folks we see. And some of them will be surprised when they see us.”

There could be some people who don't agree with your politics there. Don’t you think?

Yes, yes! 
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