I’m 67 years old at this point in the story of God’s grace toward me. When I was younger, growing up in a church which faithfully taught the good news of Christ, I was open and even responsive to the gospel. At age 20 though, after a time of drifting away from church life and God’s lure of grace, my mother encouraged me to read C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity. The Spirit pulled at my heart enough that I read Lewis, and was surprised to find myself with a new and fuller understanding of God’s grace shown in Christ. New understanding became a compelling need to give myself fully to God as my only reasonable response. His gift of saving faith became my reality.
Looking back I can see that God took the initiative – that his Holy Spirit turned on the lights in the room where I had always been, but had not been seeing clearly. In that light I saw more fully the condition of my sinful heart. I saw that I was in a foolish war with my creator who had let me go my own way. I came to see that he’d let me go, in patient preparation for a heartfelt response to his grace in Jesus. I saw and believed that he would draw me near and forgive and forget my sin, having already punished it – amazingly! – in his own perfect son. And as if that weren’t enough, I saw that he will consider me righteous, united by faith with Jesus’ perfect righteousness.
He has now patiently spent years drawing me nearer, to know him and enjoy his wonderful heart. There are days when I just marvel at his great grace to me, and to my brothers and sisters in Christ! Seeing and responding to God’s grace in Jesus is something that takes place in a moment, as he directs and invites, but somehow also takes a lifetime. And – it seems a whole lifetime really only accumulates to a good appetizer for a great timeless feast at his table!
