Dear New McKendree Church Family,

Do you know what we humans aren’t very good at? Cutting each other slack. Whenever we get a little full of ourselves and think we’re somehow qualified to audition for God’s job, the only part of the divine gig we ever audition for is the judgment part. Why is that? What about sitting atop our high horse, decked out in our self-righteousness, compels us to be so generous with judgment and so stingy with grace? 

Struggling with this very question, Max Lucado (one of my all-time favorite authors) once wrote, “I’ve never been surprised by God’s judgment, but I’m still stunned by his grace.” What a great quote, and ain’t it the truth? 

To get the full effect of Max’s truism,  join me in a brief thought experiment. Of the two, which is the easiest for you to understand, and which is…well…amazing? 

Here goes: 1) God’s judgment causing the Egyptians to be swallowed up in the Red Sea; or 2) David the psalmist becoming David the adulterer, but by God’s grace becoming David the psalmist again? (If you ask me, the Egyptians had it coming to them, but David…beats me.)

How about these two: 1) God’s judgment bringing about the demise of Sodom and Gomorrah with lightning and fire, or 2) the thief on the cross who was destined for hell one minute and strolling through the gates of paradise the next? (Again, the way I see it, Sodom and Gomorrah deserved to be zapped, but the thief on the cross? Amazing beyond words.)

Isn’t it true that we have no trouble comprehending the logic and appropriateness of judgment but find ourselves dazed and confused by grace? Why did Peter, who denied Christ three times in just a few minutes, become Christ’s #1 advocate and the head of his Church? Can you explain that? I can’t. 

What I do know is this: every time someone appealed to God for a second chance, they received it. Check it out for yourself. Search the scriptures. If you do, you’ll find not a single instance of God denying grace to a repentant, wayward soul.

You see, God’s all about cutting his children slack. Shouldn’t we be about the same? Rather than slinging judgment in all directions, why not come down from on high and offer a little grace? If we do, we might just be amazed by the results. After all, you’re never more God-like than when you’re offering grace. 

One last experiment: Next time you’re in the sanctuary, grab a hymnal and look up the hymn entitled Amazing Judgment. Chances are you won’t find it. But, if you turn to page 378, you will find an oldie but goodie entitled Amazing Grace.

As we once again experience Easter morning’s grace-filled victory, I pray that our New McKendree family will be all the more equipped to counter our world’s divisive, judgmental ways with the grace that we’ve received.  Happy Easter!

Your brother in Christ, 

Bryan Wendling