When Grace Enters

When Adam ate the forbidden fruit he set off a chain reaction. His view of God became distorted. Then he had kids. Because Adam had a distorted view of God he gave an equally distorted view of God to them. We live what we believe. Adam no longer believed 100% of what is true about God. Oh I'm sure he SAID he believed all the right things about God but his life no longer lined up with his profession. All sin comes from a gap between what we KNOW is true about God and what we BELIEVE is true about God. Adam probably KNEW God was kind, loving, just, etc. but his personal sense of those truths was lost. He no longer lived his life as though those things were true. His kids picked up those heart beliefs from him. They saw God through their father's life and since that life didn't line up with doctrine the thing they took away from the relationship was a skewed understanding of God. Then they passed it on to their kids. Their kids passed it on down to the next generation. And on down the line.

When I am in Walmart I see the fruit of that last paragraph everywhere. The cycle continues. Parents yelling at their kids. Husbands and wives cutting each other to pieces with their words. Families that have given up talking to each other. And a thousand different examples. When I see parents yelling impatiently at their kids I think "Each one of those harsh cutting remarks is going to become a barrier that God will have to rip down if he's ever going to save that kid." And then I look at the parents and wonder about THEIR familial relationships when THEY were growing up. Probably exactly the same. They probably had parents who were exasperated just like I was witnessing.

The beauty of the gospel is that God doesn't tell people to get their relationships "together" before He comes to them. He just loves. He doesn't shake His head thinking "Why can't these families get their acts together to become more harmonious?" He says "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you... My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I've seen firsthand how a dysfunctional family can wreak havoc on one's walk with God. My family life was much better than some as far as yelling and crying and anger go but I still struggle to have the perception of God that lines up with truth. There are deep wounds in my heart that are just part of life in a post-Genesis 3 world. But the gospel says that I CAN and WILL be healed of them as I abide in the presence of my friend and healer, Jesus Christ. So won't you come with me to be healed? One touch from Him is enough. Let us come to the doctor not trying to hide our wounds and diseases but be open and honest with Him. He loves us so!