The Switch

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  Romans 3:23

I read of a small boy who had been consistently late for dinner. One particular day his parents had warned him to be on time, but he arrived later than ever. He found his parents already seated at the table, about to start eating. Quickly he sat at his place, and then noticed what was set before him--a slice of bread and a glass of water. There was silence as he sat staring at his plate, crushed. 

Sometimes we make mistakes.  Sometimes we repeat the same mistakes.  Again and again and yet again.  Our plate sits in front of us... and we feel far more than hunger pains….regret.  sorrow.  guilt.  shame.  sadness.   We hurt.  

We stare at disappointment and realize that we caused it... We sinned... we did the wrong thing.  Will we hurt forever?  Will they ever forgive?  Will God ever see us the same way?  Am I broken?  Unloved?   If only we had one more chance...one last conversation...one opportunity to wind the clock back and make things right.

This young boy’s story wasn’t over...

Suddenly he saw his father’s hand reach over, pick up his plate and set it before himself. Then his dad put his own full plate in front of his son, smiling warmly as he made the exchange. When the boy became a man, he said, "All my life I’ve known what God was like by what my father did that night.

What is God like?

Sacrificial and unconditionally loving.

Full of grace...not condemning judgment

Full of hope...not unending despair 

Full of forgiveness...not relentless blame

God reaches across the table and replaces what we deserve with what we haven’t earned.   As Christ-followers, when we ask for forgiveness, He takes our bread and water... our sin... our punishment... our condemnation... our mistakes... and allows us yet another chance. 

Grace from a loving Father.

Love from a graceful God. 

Feeling discouraged by past failure?   Afraid to show your face around God’s table?

Don’t be.  

There will always be a chair waiting... plenty of food... and a warm embrace from the One who knew that you would sin and created you anyway.   

The Machine

A man named Dan Chen has created a machine.  A device so outlandish that you will struggle to believe it exists.  What is it?  It’s called an “End of Life Care Machine.”  Essentially it is a robotic arm that gently moves back and forth along the forearm of a patient in a hospital who is dying.  As it does so, it says “Hello [name of patient], I am the last moment robot. I am here to help you and guide you through your last moment on earth. I am sorry that (pause) your family and friends can’t be with you right now, but don’t be afraid. I am here to comfort you. (pause) You are not alone, you are with me. (pause) Your family and friends love you very much, they will remember you after you are gone. (pause).”

It’s hard to come up with the right words for this machine… but for the sake of today’s devotional… We’ll use the word: tragic.

Tragic that whatever person this is used on is left alone in their final moments… and even more tragic that someone thinks a heartless robotic arm can replace the tender touch of another person.  

I was thinking about this device as I read Hebrews 2:17-18 

"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" 

Hebrews 2:17-18

The truth is… before Christ came…all of us were dying.  Bound for eternal separation from God because of our sin.   Taking the punishment for missing the mark that we deserve.  And then God sent His Son.  His glorious loving Son to pay the price for what we had done.    God didn’t send a note… or a statue… or a robotic arm to comfort us… Jesus put on our flesh.  He became a human being.   A person who we could recognize and One that could suffer pain.  Today as you spend time praying, thank God that He loved us so much that He sent His only Son… His compassionate and merciful Son… so that we would know how valuable we are to Him during our time here on the Earth.