It’s hard to wrap my mind around the idea that I don’t earn my forgiveness through deeds and actions. Instead I receive forgiveness by turning to God and asking for his help.
In everything we do we are measured. We get raises based on our performance at work. We graduate based on our test scores. Heck, we’re even measured in how well we play video games through Xbox Live. We are a measurement obsessed society.
And to be honest I don’t think that’s necessarily bad. There isn’t anything wrong with knowing where you were and where you are going. The problem occurs when we assume that God works that way. He doesn’t. And we don’t want him to. If God was into measurement, how in the world would we ever live up to perfection? I don’t know about you, but most days I fall a tad short.
If I had to live up to perfection every day I would have no hope.
According to 2 Kings, Manasseh was so sinful that he (almost) single handedly destroyed Israel. His sins were so great (e.g., he sacrificed his own children for cryin’ out loud!) that God turned his back on Israel. And yet, “in his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom.” (2 Chronicles 33: 12-13).
Wow. Think about that for a moment. No one would consider this guy “innocent” or “deserving” or in any measurable way “good.” And yet God was moved by Manasseh’s humility, and listened to his plea. Manasseh didn’t earn anything by his behavior, God gave him something because that’s what God does. He gives us freedom, and hope, at no cost.
What we see time and again is that as soon as someone turns to God and says, “God, I screwed up, I’m sorry. Help me!” God always steps in and gives them help. If God is willing to help someone like Manasseh, why wouldn’t he be willing to help you or me?
God – I know it’s easy to start thinking I haven’t earned your forgiveness. That my behavior isn’t good enough. But the truth is, it never will be. No matter how hard I try, I will never be perfect. Help me to remember that it’s turning to you in humility that matters, not earning my way to you. Amen.
